AI changes Proptech in 3 ways

AI is rapidly integrating into proptech, driven by the real estate and facilities management sectors’ longstanding focus on efficiency. Property managers must now accelerate their digital strategies to keep up, according to PropTech Buzz.

“We own concrete, steel, and earth, but must transition into a tech business. Leasing may be $30 per square foot, but there’s $1,000 of value attached to it,” said Troy Harvey, CEO and founder of PassiveLogic. “Buildings are no longer just assets; they are digital platforms with services integrated into them.”

Here’s how AI-enhanced proptech is making strides in design, operations, and space utilization.

Design

AI’s most significant impact on architects is during the ideation phase, enabling rapid progression from sketches to renderings while incorporating client feedback efficiently.

“AI-enhanced design tools instill greater confidence in owners,” said Brendan Mullins, architect and design computing discipline lead at Stantec. “We can transform napkin sketches into renderings in seconds and swap design options during meetings instead of waiting a week. We can even convert photos of cardboard mockups into renderings quickly.”

AI streamlines the design process further when it comes to structural and mechanical engineering. Supporting BIM, AI adds significant value and power.

“3D modeling is central to design,” Mullins emphasized. “Everything integrates into it: VR for immersive experiences, sustainability tools for energy forecasting, and now AI.”

A building’s IoT points, numbering in the hundreds or thousands, can be unified by AI, serving as a command center.

Operations

While a fully automated building might seem futuristic, AI’s capability to handle complex calculations brings it closer to reality. Unlike language learning models, physics-based AI platforms like PassiveLogic can harness millions of IoT points to work together.

“We have a rich array of IoT devices, but they operate in isolation. They don’t communicate or sequence together,” Harvey noted. “We need a central system to unify them, allowing dynamic responses. Buildings must act autonomously, starting with an understanding of themselves to utilize real-time information.”

Buildings are more complex than self-driving cars, with a mid-scale commercial building having 500-1,000 IoT points compared to a car’s average of 12. This complexity requires a coordinating system to manage the building’s behaviors.

“Buildings are complex robots,” Harvey explained. “Despite being stationary, they face programming challenges similar to moving robots. The key difference is they navigate through time, not space.”

AI can manage the numerous interconnected variables governing a building, especially when paired with digital twins. This approach allows building owners to consider all factors influencing operations.

“This goes beyond static BMS sequences,” Harvey explained. “AI recognizes that air temperature is influenced by multiple variables, including gender, age, and environmental factors like humidity and air flow. Buildings must balance human needs with operational goals like energy conservation, which requires dynamic decision-making enabled by AI.”

Space Utilization

Post-pandemic, with many companies adopting hybrid work schedules, measuring occupancy has become crucial. JLL uses AI to capture occupancy trends for better space optimization.

“Occupancy fluctuations necessitate intentional office design,” said Christina Gratrix, senior director of product management at JLL. “Real-time occupancy management requires new data sources like badge swipes, room reservations, and occupancy sensors.”

Combining traditionally siloed data sets is a barrier to dynamic occupancy. JLL’s AI platform ensures data compatibility through aggregation, mapping, and standardization.

“By integrating these data sources, we gain insights into who planned to come, who showed up, and what spaces were used,” Gratrix explained.

For instance, data showing a six-person conference room consistently used by three people can justify creating more small conference rooms.

“The workplace exists for the workforce,” Gratrix stressed. “AI helps us understand data-driven space usage, enhancing the employee experience.”