Sharing Data for a Sustainable Future
We’re very happy to have Finnish Granlund as a Nordic PropTech Awards 2025 sponsor - and we took the opportunity to talk to Francisco Forns-Samso, Director for Digital Business Design, about corporate-startup collaboration and data sharing as one of the main enablers of catapulting digitisation and the green transition within real estate.
Why Isn’t Data Shared?
Granlund continuously invests in pilot programmes and partnerships with proptech start-ups to stay ahead in this ever evolving sector. However, even as innovation continues a key challenge remains: the construction and real estate industries have yet to fully harness the potential of data, largely due to a lack of a data-sharing culture.
Unlike traditional assets, data can be shared without losing value, allowing multiple organisations to analyse the same dataset for mutual benefit. Yet, only 38% of respondents in Granlund’s Digital Economy Market report (linked in resources below) believe data should be shared openly. Many hesitate due to concerns about quality, confidentiality, or competitive advantage. Furthermore, data ownership issues and the absence of clear frameworks for sharing are significant obstacles.
Key findings include:
38% believe data should be shared openly
72% of respondents store data in fragmented systems without integration
47% rarely update property information
62% think businesses lack an understanding of how data can drive strategic goals
Corresponding with the findings in the latest Danish PropTech Report, real estate players report an overall lack of knowledge and relevant talent hindering digital transformation, with 38% not prioritising the necessary time. Additionally, one-third of real estate respondents cite a lack of digital capabilities within their organisation as a major barrier. Positively, corporate-startup collaboration has not seen a decline. However, we should expect to experience even more collaboration and willingness of sharing data going forward as one way to unlock the benefits of the digital transformation.
The Value of a Data-Sharing Culture
A shift in mindset is required for this to change. Moving away from merely storing data for future use (if any use at all beyond legislative requirements) and instead embracing the immediate benefits of sharing it through common repositories, the industry can unlock new insights, enhance productivity, and improve sustainability.
Life-cycle thinking – utilising data to track everything from material choices to carbon footprints – could potentially revolutionise real estate. However, progress is hindered by fragmented, unreliable data. To comply with the upcoming Finnish Building Act from January 1st 2026, which mandates life cycle considerations and climate impact assessments, high-quality, standardised, and machine-readable data will be crucial.
Looking Ahead
Granlund’s survey also indicates optimism with 40% of respondents willing to share data if they see mutual benefits, which in turn reflects increased awareness of its value; including learning from shared experiences across the Nordics. The Nordic PropTech Awards is also a means to this by strengthening the possibilities of cross-Nordic collaborations. As the industry embraces automation, AI, and machine learning, high-quality data will be the cornerstone of the next wave of innovation.
Francisco Forns-Samso underscores Granlund's life-cycle approach to property management, emphasising how innovation drives the creation of safer, smarter, and more sustainable buildings:
“At Granlund, we take a comprehensive life-cycle approach to properties, and this philosophy extends to our innovation efforts. Our innovations empower us to design and maintain buildings that prioritise the health and safety of their users, operate intelligently, minimise energy consumption and carbon emissions, and withstand the impacts of climate change. Each year, we make substantial investments in our innovation initiatives, pilot programmes, and partnerships with start-ups. Leveraging PropTech, we actively monitor and drive progress within the industry, ensuring we remain at the forefront of development.”
In summary, there is a pressing need for real estate to up the digitisation game and really dive into using data proactively. The Nordic PropTech Awards is an ideal space to embrace innovation and digitisation at a Nordic level, opening up the field of great solutions that are ready to tackle current and future challenges.
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