Real estate is the embodiment of the tangible. Its substance gives us a sense of security and durability, and this applies to both private residential and commercial real estate. Yet the real estate industry is ultimately based on services – more specifically, the temporary provision of space for a fee. Real estate as a product is, therefore, only a means to an end for the creation of value or consumption made possible on the space available. In the past, it used to be sufficient to perceive real estate as a tangible good if the requirements of the users were very similar and remained stable over a relatively long period. But there is much to suggest that this perspective will no longer adequately meet the challenges facing the real estate industry (especially the commercial sector) in the decades ahead. Many commercial real estate users currently find themselves in a market environment that is uncertain, changing rapidly, demanding a fast shift in focus. While cost discipline will continue to be a necessary condition for the business success of real estate users, it will no longer be sufficient if cost savings have to be made at the expense of flexibility.