Context
Buildings account for almost 40% of energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Europe. In order to achieve the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and thus become carbon neutral by 2050, new processes are setting up. One of the most essential concept are the Smart Cities as, based on new technologies, allow digitization and automation of buildings as well as the optimisation of resources. The latter, while being at the heart of the energy transition, is also an economic issue since it affects the entire population. The measurement, collection, centralisation and reading of energy and water consumption data are possible with the use of smart sensors. According to several studies on the topic, house occupants can reduce their energy consumption by up to 28% thanks to real-time feedback on their consumption. In a context where energy prices are rising exponentially, this allows them to reduce their bills while adopting a more responsible attitude.
In the residential sector, homeowners and real estate professionals such as Property and Facility Managers, who manage the infrastructure in residential buildings, are main players in the implementation of these technologies and so in the decarbonisation of the real estate sector.
Besides playing a major role in the preservation of these buildings, Property and Facility Managers are also responsible for bringing them up to standard, of which ecology and digitization are integral parts. They are thus the administrators of the modernisation of existing buildings. In addition, they have to deal with all the administrative tasks, the repair and maintenance management. In order to focus on value-generating missions and optimising time and costs, these professions must automize their process. The Proptech sector, as an integral part of the "Smart City", is one of the solutions compatible with the search for better resources and time management, thus revolutionising the real estate sector.
These technological advances are also being closely followed by legislators, who, aware of their necessity, are changing the regulations to make their use essential in all Europe. For example, the Energy Efficiency Directive (2018/2002) requires the installation of meters that remotely read consumption data and individualize heating costs in all residential apartments buildings. In addition, monthly accounting and billing of these data will be mandatory.