AI in real estate is only valuable once the basics are in order
Last week, our colleague Joost spoke with a commercial real estate company. Everything seemed to be in order: a new AI tool had been implemented, there was a lot of enthusiasm, and expectations were high. The promise was complete insight and a significant reduction in energy consumption.
In practice, we often see that initial results seem promising, especially with simple and repetitive tasks. But bottlenecks arise as soon as AI is applied to a property or real estate portfolio with various building management systems, property managers, data flows, and processes. The expected improvements fail to materialize, and the limits of the AI ā€‹ā€‹solution quickly become apparent.
The result is that attention lapses, the project becomes overwhelmed by daily operations, and in some cases, the plug is even pulled.
At Blue Module, we consciously choose a different approach. We don't start with an AI tool, but with what is truly needed to achieve structural savings and sustainability improvements. In our experience, approximately 80% of the value is in the fundamental phase before AI is applied. Only then does AI become a powerful tool for achieving the final 20% efficiently and measurably.
How does Blue Module view this fundamental phase:
- Establish ownership. Who will be responsible and actually receive the mandate to manage and change?
- Ensure data quality. Where does the data come from, how is it structured, and is it interpreted correctly?
- Set goals. Is it about Paris Proof, BREEAM, ESG reporting, or accountability to investors and stakeholders?
Without this foundation, AI quickly becomes a standalone experiment. Interesting, but not scalable and certainly not structurally valuable. That's why at Blue Module, we always look beyond the latest tools. Blue Module first helps real estate organizations gain insight into:
- What systems and data are already available,
- What actually needs to be improved,
- Where your organization strategically wants to go.
Do you recognize this? Are you struggling with AI initiatives or wondering why previous attempts haven't yielded much? Feel free to contact our team. We're happy to brainstorm with you.
