At Prague Property Forum 2026, industry leaders from across the property and facility management ecosystem examined how digital tools are changing the way buildings are operated, valued and experienced. The discussion moved beyond the usual AI hype to focus on the real challenges behind transformation: organisational culture, data quality, workforce readiness and the growing expectation for buildings to function as responsive service platforms rather than static assets. While technologies such as AI, automation and occupancy analytics are advancing rapidly, the panel agreed that long-term success will depend less on the tools themselves and more on how effectively companies integrate them into everyday operations, decision-making and user experience.

DL Invest Group and Boosteroid have formed a joint venture to develop large-scale AI data centre infrastructure across Europe. The partnership includes a long-term agreement for AI infrastructure with 300 MW target capacity, serving a hyperscale customer. The project has an estimated value of approximately $2.5 billion (€2.3 billion).

At Bucharest Business Forum 2026, the closing panel brought together senior executives from residential, logistics, and asset management to explore how Romania can unlock its next phase of growth. Moderated by Ana Dumitrache, CEO, Olympian Parks, the discussion ranged from unlearning old market reflexes and rethinking “location,” to the disruptive impact of AI and the structural gaps still holding Romania back versus peers like Poland. Despite working in different segments, the speakers converged on a few core themes: long‑term value over short‑term volume, community and quality over simple density, and disciplined governance as the missing ingredient for Romania’s full potential.

The real estate industry has spent years talking about smart buildings, but the next shift is already underway. In an interview with Property Forum, Delphine Clément, Global Head of Verticals at Siemens Smart Infrastructure Buildings, explains why autonomy, powered by AI, real-time data and integrated systems, is set to redefine how buildings are operated, valued and experienced.

CEE's real estate market enters the second quarter of 2026 in a mood of measured confidence. According to Property Forum's survey of nearly 200 real estate professionals from across the region, the majority expect either stable but selective deal flow or a moderate recovery in transaction activity over the next 12 months. Regional CEE investors are seen as the primary engine of dealmaking, while foreign capital is expected to return only selectively. Residential and logistics assets lead on risk-adjusted appeal, and Poland remains the undisputed long-term growth leader. Yet beneath the cautious optimism, one concern towers above all others: geopolitical tensions, cited by nearly two-thirds of respondents as the greatest threat to the market.

Real estate leaders are pivoting toward agentic AI, which moves beyond simple chatbots. These systems combine autonomy, planning, and memory to execute proactive, goal-driven tasks with appropriate approvals and logging, according to a report by McKinsey & Company.

The European data centre sector is entering a period of unprecedented expansion, with operators expecting to commission an average of 67MW of capacity in 2026. 

The decision to implement new technology often meets a common internal roadblock due to unknown challenges, according to an opinion by Imre-Gustav Vellamaa of R8 Technologies.

Institutional investors are returning to key European markets, and transaction volumes are expected to rise steadily after a period of reassessment in 2024-2025, according to a Colliers report.

Older buildings usually consume more energy in operation than new construction. That is not only a cost issue. It also affects how an asset performs against market standards like BREEAM, EU Taxonomy, and CRREM, as well as regulations such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the rules for Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS). Many owners assume the only way to close the gap is a major refurbishment. Better insulation and new equipment certainly help, but they are expensive and disruptive. Investments in deep fabric and equipment upgrades can reach one to five percent of the asset value.