In this interview with Urbanitae, we discuss with Zenova how sustainability and energy efficiency are shaping the agenda of the real estate sector. Technology has become an indispensable ally. Zenova, co-founded by Jaime García, was created precisely to address these challenges: a modular platform that enables developers, funds, and managers to optimize costs, simplify processes, and meet growing regulatory requirements. We spoke with its CEO about how the company is transforming energy management and what its plans are to establish itself as a European benchmark in proptech.
In a few words, how would you describe Zenova’s value proposition for the real estate market, and what makes it different from other solutions?
At Zenova, we have developed a solution specifically designed to cover all the energy needs of the real estate sector in a simple and efficient way. Our software can handle any energy-related requirement: from managing procedures with energy retailers and distributors to optimizing energy costs and monitoring consumption for sustainability reporting.
How does Zenova help large companies and real estate groups manage energy more efficiently, and which of its features—asset management, monitoring, supply optimization—deliver the most value to clients?
Zenova offers the real estate sector a platform to tackle any energy-related challenge. Its differentiating value lies in its ability to adapt to each client’s profile. For example, a property manager with hundreds of units often faces a huge administrative burden—registrations, cancellations, changes of ownership—that can be streamlined through our Switching module. Meanwhile, a large logistics operator with fewer supply points but very high energy consumption gains more value from using our Optimize module, which allows them to reduce and control their costs to the maximum.
This way, each company finds in Zenova the exact functionalities it needs to manage energy more efficiently and profitably.
You work with very different profiles, such as developers, funds, and property managers. How do you ensure the platform meets all their needs?
The key is flexibility. We know that developers, funds, and property managers face very different challenges in energy management. That’s why we designed the platform to be modular. Zenova covers a wide range of features—from consumption monitoring to contract optimization—while adapting both the modules and the level of detail to each client’s needs.
Thus, every user works only with what really adds value, avoiding unnecessary complexity and maximizing efficiency in platform use.
“The real estate sector in Spain faces a double challenge: regulatory pressure linked to sustainability and economic impact.”
What role does technology play in your strategy to provide comprehensive and sustainable solutions?
Technology is the driving force behind everything we do. We don’t see it merely as a tool, but as the lever that allows us to transform how the real estate sector interacts with energy. Thanks to artificial intelligence, for instance, we can anticipate needs, simplify complex processes, and bring our clients closer to our vision.
Our goal is that every functionality of the platform not only solves a specific issue but also delivers an experience that makes a difference.
Can you share a concrete example where Zenova has had a significant impact on a client’s energy management or real estate portfolio?
A clear example is the impact of our Optimize module, launched at the end of 2024. Thanks to this tool, asset managers across different segments (logistics, retail, residential) have significantly reduced their energy costs. In some cases, the savings reach several hundred thousand euros annually, highlighting not only the economic value of the platform but also how smarter energy management can become a true competitive advantage for the real estate sector.
What are the main challenges the real estate sector faces in advancing sustainability and energy efficiency?
The real estate sector in Spain faces a twofold challenge. On one hand, regulatory pressure tied to sustainability and emissions reduction forces owners and managers to be much more proactive in managing consumption. On the other, the economic impact: energy is becoming an increasingly relevant line item in financial results.
If we set aside the exceptional years of 2021 and 2022, marked by the crisis stemming from the war in Ukraine, we see that in the last two years energy costs have been between 20% and 30% higher than the average of the previous decade.
Looking ahead, what changes and trends do you expect in the real estate market and in the adoption of technological solutions like Zenova?
In the coming years, we will see a paradigm shift in the real estate sector driven by artificial intelligence. As in other industries, the adoption of these digital tools will become increasingly natural and necessary to manage day-to-day complexity. Teams will demand solutions that not only save time but also help them make smarter and more sustainable decisions.
In this context, at Zenova we aim to establish ourselves as one of the reference platforms, supporting the sector in this transition.
“Energy can become a true competitive advantage for the real estate sector.”
You recently won the Iberian stage of ULI’s PropTech Innovation Challenge. What does this recognition mean for Zenova, and how can it boost your presence in the European ecosystem?
It was a great source of pride for us, especially because this recognition highlights the tremendous work the team has done in recent years. The award belongs to them and is the result of their effort.
Strategically, winning the Iberian stage of the PropTech Innovation Challenge gives us highly relevant visibility in the European ecosystem and strengthens our ambition to become the leading platform for energy management in the real estate sector in Europe. It’s a boost that allows us to accelerate our vision and open new opportunities for international collaboration.
Finally, what strategic goals does Zenova have for the coming years, particularly regarding sustainability, expansion into new sectors, and consolidation as a proptech leader?
At Zenova we have a very clear ambition: to become the European benchmark in energy management for the real estate sector. We want any market player to be able to address all their energy-related needs from a single platform.
In this regard, we are firmly committed to sustainability and to enabling our clients to meet certification and regulatory requirements quickly and transparently.
