Property Technology - Insights from the Joint Research Partnership on Digital Transformation in Real Estate and Construction

The book presents insights from over five years of research by the Real Estate Center at the Department of Architecture, Built environment and Construction engineering (ABC) of Politecnico di Milano, within the Italian PropTech Network initiative. It explores how digital technology is addressing key challenges in the built environment, such as climate change, urbanization, rising costs, and demographic shifts. Traditionally slow to adapt, the real estate sector must embrace innovation to meet urgent Sustainable Development Goals.

Focusing on digitalization, the book analyzes tools and technologies that can transform property management, enhance market processes, and add value for stakeholders. It provides a broad literature review, defines PropTech, and examines its role in reshaping the construction and real estate industry. Case studies illustrate the sector’s ongoing transformation while critically evaluating different PropTech applications.

The book contributes to academic debate and supports real estate professionals navigating digital transformation by systematizing current knowledge. It also highlights potential risks, emphasizing the need for further research to ensure sustainable and informed innovation.

Chiara Tagliaro has a PhD in Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering. She is a researcher and consultant in the Real Estate Center – Department of Architecture, Built Environment, and Construction Engineering at Politecnico di Milano. Her research interests concern the design, management, and use of workplaces, collaborative work practices, and the digitalization of the real estate sector. She has been involved in multiple EU-funded projects around these topics. Since 2017, she has collaborated with the Department of Department of Human-Centered Design at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY), on both research and educational projects. She has coordinated the Summer School on Workplace Management since its first edition in 2018.

Alice Paola Pomé is a PhD and Building Engineer (qualification obtained in 2020). Currently, she is a Post-Doc researcher in the Department of Architecture, Construction Engineering and Built Environment of the Milan Polytechnic. At the research level, Alice is involved in integrating the principles of sustainability into the management of buildings. Alice collaborates within the REC - Reale Estate Center - a research group of the Politecnico di Milano on three main topics: sustainable management of buildings and construction processes, workplace management and corporate real estate, and digitization of the construction industry. Alice is also part of the research group "Italian PropTech Network", in which she analyzes the technologies that are adopted by the Italian real estate market.

Andrea Ciaramella is an architect, and associate professor at Politecnico di Milano, Department of Architecture Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC). Duties include teaching, research, and consultancy with a special focus on technological innovation and end relations between design/construction and real estate management. Author of several books and articles, he currently is Head of MSc Management of Built Environment and Director of postgraduate Master in Real Estate Management at Politecnico of Milan. Andrea is the co-founder of the Italian PropTech Network, the Italian hub of PropTech companies.

Stefano Bellintani is an Associate Professor of Technology of Architecture at Politecnico di Milano. He is the founder and co-director of the Italian Proptech Network. His activities include teaching, research, and consulting in the area of technological innovation of buildings, with particular reference to building automation and energy savings, as well as asset, property, and facility management, including the redevelopment and enhancement of real estate. Lecturer and coordinator within various training initiatives including Masters’ programs at Politecnico di Milano, Executive Courses, and Lifelong Learning initiatives. Author of several scientific publications focusing on Home and Building Automation and property management.