Be an Early Bird Only If You Know What to Innovate
Data analysis is not a modern luxury but a cornerstone of business survival – yet it only makes sense if the data is collected properly. This was also one of the central themes at the PropTech Hungary Conference, held on May 22, 2025.
There was much discussion about the importance of data, the digitalization of various real estate management and construction systems, and, of course, artificial intelligence. So let us imagine for a moment that every possible innovation is available! With money, tools, and technology at hand – how will it all be put to use?
This question was explored in the afternoon panel discussion titled “The Importance of Data and Information in Property Utilization and Preparation for Decision-Making,” which gave a more practical tone to the digitalization wave that has bypassed many companies to this day. To cover all dimensions, the panel featured experts from several perspectives: Zoltán Cseh, co-founder and CEO of EnerIT, a company focused on energy management solutions for major consumers; Marcell Mihályfi, Head of Office Asset Management at the Adventum Group investment fund; Viktor Hegedüs, founder and CEO of APFM-Systems, specializing in real estate operations; and Kristóf Lengyel, Director of the energy division at Panda Energy Management. The discussion was moderated by Zoltán Giller, Deputy CEO of Neo Property Services.
The Importance of Data and Information in Property Utilization and Preparation for Decision-Making (Photo: Márton Fejes)
Is data valuable on its own?
According to Cseh Zoltán, data only becomes valuable if it is “affordable” to obtain and is actually usable. Mihályfi Marcell added that the time span of the data is also key: if data is available from acquisition through construction/renovation to usage, then it becomes workable. Otherwise, one is left with fragmented information that is difficult to process and align. As an asset manager, the priority is “to see exactly what we bought and what we can sell.”
Zoltán Cseh, EnerIT (Photo: Márton Fejes)
All panelists agreed that data accessibility must be the “zero step.” Only then can digitalization and data-driven decision-making be effective – when everything can be channeled into the process.
And that leads to the most important application of data today: decision-making. “Data really belongs to the one who interprets it,” noted Hegedüs. “It’s pointless to collect terabytes of data every second if nothing meaningful can be extracted from it.” He argued that first, the condition of the data must be understood, then a strategy developed for its use – followed by a creative phase of reacting in real-time to incoming information. In a functioning proptech company, the key is tracking ongoing changes. “You have to analyze data to keep the company alive,” he stressed, adding that while senior executives are often not competent in this, it is the operational decision-makers who must stay alert, so that leaders can steer the company with the knowledge they receive.
Safety is also part of the data story
Having data is great – but managing properties is not just about measurements and financial calculations. It also involves safety issues, such as fire protection. Attila Fekete, co-founder of fiREG, a company focused on the digitalization of fire protection, gave a powerful presentation on the subject. Unsurprisingly, it began with dramatic images of real fires. “I don’t want to frighten anyone,” he smiled, “but it’s important to feel the weight of the issue – and to understand that fire protection doesn’t start with extinguishing flames. In the best case, it never reaches that point.”
Attila Fekete, fiREG (Photo: Márton Fejes)
First comes the fire protection plan, followed by constant equipment checks – all of which require extensive paperwork. In fact, it was this paperwork that gave birth to fiREG, as the company sought a way to digitalize the exhausting and time-consuming process. “We set ourselves the goal of making fire protection paperless, thereby making everything more transparent and environmentally friendly,” said Fekete.
fiREG aims to create an industry standard – not just offering one solution, but bringing all industry actors onto a shared digital platform. “When we started, legislation required everything to be recorded and signed on paper. Three years later, the environment had shifted, and electronically certified documents were allowed,” he added, highlighting how decision-makers are also responding to digitalization challenges.
Smart homes and the digital property market
Even once a safe, data-backed building is complete, it still has to be sold – in a real estate market under constant digital transformation, including smart home developments. Tamás Orosz, owner-CEO of BAM Group; Barnabás Tóth, Business Development Director at Chameleon Smart Home; Attila Simon, CEO of Marketcom; and Balázs Szima-Mármarosi, head of Digital Thinkers, discussed the status of smart homes with Frigyes Hollosi, owner of Smartapart.
Simon pointed out that smart homes go back much further than many think, originally rooted in mechanical automation, and for a long time limited to premium real estate. It was the advent of accessible cloud-based tools that brought it to entry-level housing. Prices dropped significantly, and the cost difference between a “non-smart” and a smart building became very small – “this was the most important trend shift,” he explained.
However, this is mostly true only if smart features are integrated at the design stage. Retrofitting older buildings can be costly, impractical, and not always effective. “Ten years ago, we all started out in the direction of smart homes, but now it’s clear that not every resident necessarily needs them. Residents want to live more comfortably and better – for some, that means interacting more with the building itself, but others might prefer easier access to property management or simpler bill payments,” explained Szima-Mármarosi. The concept of “smart living” has moved beyond blinds automatically closing when sunlight hits the bedroom window.
