Grotto AI Secures $10M to Improve Leasing With AI
Grotto AI announced a $10 million seed round led by ICONIQ to tackle multifamily housing vacancy, a problem estimated to cost $500 billion in lost value. The startup’s AI platform provides real‑time coaching to leasing agents, analyzing conversations to improve rapport and objection handling. Early adopters such as Weidner Apartment Homes, which manages over 70,000 units, report higher lease conversion rates. The funding will accelerate model development and expand the platform across U.S. property operators.
Beyond Gantt: The Rise of Flow-Based Production
In this episode, Antti Pukema of Sitedrive discusses moving beyond traditional Gantt chart scheduling to a flow‑based production approach that integrates CPM, Takt, and Last Planner systems into a single "one schedule". He explains how this methodology eliminates idle "white...
Zutec’s AI Layer Turns Building Information Into Intelligence
Zutec has launched Building AI, an AI‑enhanced layer for its Building Document Management platform, now in beta. The tool lets asset owners query documents, asset registers and warranties, delivering instant, citation‑backed answers while keeping data within a secure, governed environment....
Exclusive: Ownwell Lands $30M To Help Homeowners Lower Their Property Tax Bills
Ownwell, an AI‑driven property‑tax appeal startup, closed a $50 million Series B round—$30 million in equity and $20 million in debt—bringing its total equity funding to $54 million since 2020. The company now serves over 500,000 residential and commercial owners across 12 states, having processed...
Keltbray Targets AI and Data Skills with Multiverse
Keltbray has partnered with upskilling platform Multiverse to enroll 25 employees in Level 3 AI‑Powered Productivity and Data & Insights courses. The training focuses on generative AI tools such as Microsoft 365 Copilot and on turning raw data into actionable business insights. Keltbray...
MCR Property Group Launches £360m Flow Student Platform
MCR Property Group has unveiled Flow Student, a purpose‑built student accommodation platform valued at £360 million in gross development value. The platform currently operates roughly 6,000 beds across six UK cities and aims to reach 15,000 beds – a £1 billion portfolio...
PROPTECH-X : London PropTech Show 2026 on 24-25 March at Excel London
The PROPTECH-X London PropTech Show will take place on 24-25 March 2026 at ExCeL London. With nearly 80% of exhibition space already booked, only a handful of booths remain for new exhibitors. The event attracts senior real‑estate and technology firms...
Can an AI PMS Run Your Short-Term Rental Portfolio?, With Boom Co-Founder & CEO Shahar Goldboim
In this episode, Shahar Goldboim, co‑founder and CEO of Boom, explains why short‑term rentals (STRs) are the most complex asset class and how fragmented software tools trap hosts in a review‑driven revenue loop. He describes the genesis of Boom—a Business‑as‑Software...
Video | CGI Maps Out London’s Changing Skyline
The City of London Corporation unveiled a CGI rendering that visualises the Square Mile’s skyline in six years, incorporating every building granted planning permission or already under construction. The visual reflects a record year of approvals in 2025, with more...
Enduring ERU Control Logic: A Cross-Platform Architecture for Building Automation Excellence
Building automation professionals face recurring failures when Energy Recovery Unit (ERU) control logic is tied to proprietary tools, especially during platform migrations or retro‑commissioning. The article proposes a commissioning‑centric, cross‑platform architecture that abstracts control intent into five distinct layers, from...
VR Training Expands Access and Elevates Standards for SMART Apprenticeships
International Training Institute (ITI) partnered with Interplay Learning to deliver VR‑based apprenticeship training across SMART JATC facilities nationwide. The immersive simulations enable small training centers, some with as few as ten apprentices, to provide hands‑on experience comparable to large labs....
Reframing the Role of Facilities Managers as Strategic Partners
Facilities management is often labeled a cost center, limiting its strategic influence. Maureen Roskoski argues that reframing FM as a risk‑management function can shift executive perception and unlock needed resources. She emphasizes distilling massive operational data into clear business outcomes...
Capital Projects Spotlight Nationwide Push to Modernize Libraries
Municipalities across the United States are committing substantial capital to modernize public libraries, positioning them as multifunctional civic anchors. Projects range from a $35 million expansion in La Mesa, California, to a $49 million, 45,000‑sq‑ft new facility in Gallup, New Mexico, each...
BLOG: Inside Modern Conveyancing – the Extra Steps Agents and Vendors Don’t See
Modern conveyancing now involves extensive behind‑the‑scenes work that extends beyond the legal milestones agents typically see. Pre‑exchange depends on continuous identity, sanctions and source‑of‑funds checks, while lender criteria evolve throughout the deal. Conveyancers act for both buyer and lender, adhering...
Bringing Together PPC and SEO for Agents
The Negotiator article urges estate agencies to integrate pay‑per‑click (PPC) advertising with search engine optimisation (SEO), arguing that combined data and testing can sharpen messaging, boost keyword intelligence, and stretch limited budgets. It highlights rapid ad‑copy testing via PPC, leveraging...
Labour MP Calls for More Tracking of Short Lets
Labour MP Rachel Blake has forced a Commons debate using the Ten Minute Rule to demand tighter tracking of short‑term lets in London. She argues that the existing 90‑night annual cap is ineffective because councils cannot verify rental frequency, and...
Oregon Adopts New Building Codes to Reduce Energy Costs and Increase Energy Efficiency in Newly Constructed Homes
Oregon's Residential and Manufactured Structures Board approved updates to the state residential energy code, requiring new homes to install energy‑efficient heat pumps instead of traditional ducted air‑conditioning. The code change is projected to save homeowners about $125 per month, or...
The Multifamily Operations Tip of the Day: Why Judgment Still Wins in an Automated World
The article argues that while automation can scale multifamily property operations, human judgment remains essential for handling nuance, edge cases, and unpredictable behavior. Operators must balance trusting automated systems with overriding them when necessary. Technology should amplify good decisions rather...
Buy-to-Let Sees Renewed Interest From Wealthy Investors
Wealthy UK investors are increasingly allocating capital to buy‑to‑let property despite higher stamp duty, with 35 % of those holding over £2.5 million owning rental assets. After exhausting ISA and pension allowances, they turn to tax‑advantaged vehicles like VCTs and EIS, which...
Growing Proportion of Rental Homes Sold Remaining in Private Rented Sector
Research from SafeDeposits Scotland shows the share of Scottish rental homes that remain in the private rented sector after being sold nearly doubled, rising to 17% in 2025 from 9% in 2024. At the same time, 57% of sold rentals...
OneKey Chooses BPP for Home Search; HAR Partnership Expands Reach
OneKey MLS, serving over 43,000 members in the NYC and Long Island area, has partnered with Broker Public Portal (BPP) to power home search on OneKeyMLS.com, extending BPP’s Cribio.com consumer portal into a prime market. BPP, which launched Cribio in...
American Homes 4 Rent (AMH) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
American Homes 4 Rent reported a 6.2% year‑over‑year increase in core FFO per share to $0.47 and nudged its full‑year core FFO guidance to $1.87 per share. The company completed its development deliveries for the quarter, redeploying proceeds from the...
Opendoor Technologies Inc (OPEN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Opendoor reported $1.6 billion revenue for the quarter and posted its first adjusted EBITDA profit in three years, $23 million, driven by wider offer spreads and pre‑spring acquisition timing. The company completed a full rollout of its agent‑driven platform, which is delivering...
Booking CEO Touts Ties With Independent Hotels as Agentic AI and Airbnb Seek Gains
Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel emphasized the platform’s deep ties with independent hotels, which supply the bulk of its room nights, as the company confronts rising pressure from AI‑driven travel agents and Airbnb’s expansion into the boutique‑hotel segment. He announced...
Wyndham Takes $160 Million Hit After European Franchisee Files for Insolvency
Wyndham Hotels disclosed a $160 million charge after its largest European franchisee, Revo Hospitality Group, entered self‑administration in January. The charge covers uncollectible receivables, asset impairments and a write‑down of the Vienna House trademark acquired in 2022. Despite the setback, the...
UrbanToronto Webinar: State of Construction in the GTA
UrbanToronto is kicking off a free 2026 webinar series focused on the Greater Toronto Area construction market, with the first session scheduled for February 25. The inaugural webinar, titled "Exploring the State of Construction in the Toronto Region," will feature...
REMAX Names New President; Tech Exec Joins Offerpad Board
REMAX promoted Chris Lim, who joined a year ago as chief growth officer, to president while keeping his growth responsibilities. Lim, formerly president of Christie’s International Real Estate, will now oversee the global network, emphasizing international expansion and affiliate services....
Project Profiles: Regenerating China’s Urban Villages
Shenzhen’s Nantou Ancient City project, completed in 2021, showcases an incremental, heritage‑focused regeneration of a historic urban village. A joint‑venture between the government, village committee and Vanke renovated roughly 300 of the 992 buildings, preserving the Ming‑era street grid and...
How Indian Travel Tech Bought Its Way Into the West’s Backyard
Indian travel‑tech firms have spent nearly $1 billion on acquisitions across the U.S., Europe and the Middle East since late 2024, marking a rapid global expansion. Leading players such as Prism (formerly Oyo), RateGain, TBO Tek and Ixigo are buying B2B infrastructure, OTA...
Airbnb Tests Loyalty Benefits. Chesky Says Program ‘Could Be a Massive Accelerant’
Airbnb has begun testing a suite of loyalty‑program benefits that avoid traditional points structures, signaling a strategic shift toward more personalized guest incentives. The company previously explored a “Superguest” program but never launched it, and now it is evaluating models...
PROPTECH-X : CRE Ofixu Launches v5.0 of Its Platform Following a Full Architectural Rebuild
Proptech startup Ofixu has launched version 5.0 of its platform after a complete architectural rebuild. The AI‑native solution, which has already facilitated more than £12 million in workspace transactions, moves beyond its original “Airbnb for workspaces” marketplace model toward a full operational...
House Bill Gives Facilities Tax Breaks for Improving IAQ
A bipartisan House bill, dubbed the Airborne Act, would grant commercial building owners tax credits for indoor‑air‑quality (IAQ) assessments and HVAC or filtration upgrades. Credits start at $1 per square foot for assessments, $5 per square foot for filter upgrades...
OneKey MLS Taps BPP
OneKey MLS has partnered with Broker Public Portal (BPP) to power its consumer‑search site, Cribio, extending OneKey listings to a broader online audience while preserving broker and seller opt‑out options. The collaboration highlights a focus on MLS data integrity, fair...
AI Won’t Rescue Downtown Offices, Just Like Automation Missed Factories
"Expecting AI to revive central office districts was like expecting automation to revive factory towns."
4 Trends That Will Define the Commercial Real Estate Industry in 2026
The commercial real estate (CRE) sector is pivoting toward integrated digital, wellbeing, resilience, and sustainability strategies in 2026. Owners will shift from reactive management to continuous, data‑driven optimization of HVAC, energy, and space utilization. Tenant experience becomes a core differentiator,...
ICE Introduces Three Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Topics
Following a year‑long consultation, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has made three continuing professional development (CPD) themes mandatory for all professionally qualified members. The required topics—ethical and professional behaviour, safety and risk management, and sustainable development—must be addressed each...
Smart Moves: The Man Overseeing Balfour Beatty’s AI Plan
Balfour Beatty has launched a multimillion‑pound artificial intelligence programme aimed at a "productivity revolution" across its construction portfolio. The initiative is being led by a newly appointed AI chief, who will embed machine‑learning tools into design, scheduling and site safety...
Is Stabilisation in European Real Estate Transaction Timelines a Sign of Recovery?
Drooms’ Real Estate Trends Report 2026 indicates that European commercial real‑estate transaction durations have steadied at an average of 363 days. After several years of prolonged deal cycles driven by pandemic disruptions and tightening credit, the timeline appears to have...
Are We Doing Enough to Design for Low Temperature Heat in Net Zero Buildings?
The UK Climate Change Committee warns that net‑zero building designs often ignore low‑temperature heat distribution, embedding inefficiencies from the earliest stages. Heat pumps perform best at 35‑50 °C, yet many projects still design for legacy 70‑80 °C boiler systems, compromising seasonal COP...
How Agentic AI Is Driving the Property Operating System in Hotels
Hospitality technology is evolving from a patchwork of point solutions toward a Property Operating System (PropOS), an AI‑driven decision layer that coordinates actions across PMS, RMS, BMS and other platforms. Agentic AI enables these systems to act autonomously within defined...
Our Free Education Session From AHR Vegas Online
AutomatedBuildings.com hosted 16 free education sessions during the AHR Expo 2026 online, drawing more than 2,000 attendees. The sessions spanned HVAC automation, controls, and sustainability topics, and each was recorded for on‑demand viewing. A YouTube playlist now provides access to...
AHR Expo Reflections: Elevating the BAS Visual Layer for Real World Operators
At AHR Expo, industry leaders highlighted a persistent gap between building automation system (BAS) visual design and the needs of everyday operators. While user experience is a buzzword, many graphics are still engineered for technicians rather than the people who...
Petra Durnin: You Don't Need More Tech — You Need Better Data
In this episode, Petra Durnin, a veteran CRE researcher and tech‑to‑impact strategist, explains why the industry’s biggest hurdle isn’t more tools but cleaner, more integrated data. She walks through her career trajectory, from a temp analyst to leading data and...
The Multifamily Operations Tip of the Day: Dashboards Don’t Run Properties
Multifamily operators are reminded that dashboards are analytical tools, not decision‑makers. While dashboards can surface trends, flag anomalies, and aid prioritization, they cannot assess resident nuance, emotion, or context. The article warns leaders against outsourcing judgment to data alone, emphasizing...
Jones Lang LaSalle Inc (JLL) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) posted record 2025 results, with revenue rising 11% to an all‑time high and adjusted EBITDA climbing 22% to $1.45 billion. Fourth‑quarter leasing revenue surged 17%, led by a 26% jump in office leasing, while free cash flow...
Stockland Achieves Net Zero Scope 1 and 2 Emissions – Here’s How
Stockland announced it has achieved net‑zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions across its entire portfolio by deploying rooftop solar on more than 50 buildings and retiring a modest amount of nature‑based carbon credits. The initiative installed 75,000 panels, delivering up to 45 MW...
CoStar Rolls Out Homes AI; SkySlope Launches Agent Coaching App
CoStar Group launched Homes AI, a conversational search tool on Homes.com that uses Microsoft Azure AI to let users find listings via voice or text, integrating 3‑D tours, school data and market insights. SkySlope introduced Ayce, an iOS app that...
Lone Wolf Taps New CEO; Fathom Names VP of Growth
Lone Wolf Technologies appointed Matt Fischer, former Bullhorn president and COO, as its new CEO, succeeding Jimmy Kelly who moves to an advisory role. Fischer’s deep product and technology background is expected to accelerate Lone Wolf’s innovation agenda. Fathom Realty...
Jimmy Kelly Steps Down as CEO of Lone Wolf
Jimmy Kelly has stepped down as CEO of Lone Wolf Technologies after a seven‑year run marked by an aggressive acquisition strategy that added five companies, including W+R Studios, within nine months. The privately‑held firm, which powers a platform used by...
The Front Door Takes Center Stage at CES
CES 2026 placed the front door at the center of the smart‑home conversation, unveiling a wave of new lock technologies that blend biometrics, power‑generation and protocol upgrades. The Z‑Wave Alliance introduced the User Credential Command Class, enabling fingerprint‑based unlocking and...