From Fragmented Operations to Data-Driven Property Management
Hemsö’s journey toward connected and smarter buildings
When Hemsö took a comprehensive approach to digitalization just over five years ago, it wasn’t driven by cost-cutting demands or urgent operational issues. On the contrary, the business was performing well. However, leadership recognized that the real estate industry was on the brink of a major transformation.
“It was a strategic decision. We wanted to step into a new era and truly understand what digitalization, proptech, and data could mean for a real estate company,” says Fredrik Hörnsten, Chief Digital Officer at Hemsö.
His role was newly established when he joined during the pandemic. The mission was clear yet open-ended: to explore, together with the organization, how new technologies could create real and lasting value.
Pilots and a crucial insight
The first few years were characterized by pilots and experimentation. Within operations and HVAC, among other areas, Hemsö tested new ways of analyzing and controlling buildings using data and AI. The ambition was high, and the pilot projects were intentionally large in scope.
“We partnered with Myrspoven early in the journey, and I’ve always had strong confidence that this was the right direction. But it required us to first build up and modernize our infrastructure,” says Fredrik.
The outcome was both educational and challenging. It quickly became clear that the technology itself was not the primary obstacle.
“A crucial insight was that our underlying data and infrastructure simply weren’t ready. The properties had been built and managed in very different ways, control systems varied, and much of the work was still being handled locally in Excel. We couldn’t just ‘layer AI on top’ and expect results.”
Focus on the fundamentals: Data, infrastructure, and connectivity
After the pilot phase, the focus shifted. Instead of chasing the next technical solution, Hemsö began building what was missing: a stable digital foundation. The work was organized around three main areas: digital twins to create a shared, consistent view of the properties; a centralized data warehouse and a data team responsible for harmonizing and quality-assuring information; and connected buildings, with networks and infrastructure extending all the way down to field level.
“To work in a truly data-driven way with HVAC, energy, and indoor climate, everything has to be connected. Control systems, sensors, networks, and platforms need to speak the same language. It takes time, and it requires investment.”
A major infrastructure program ran for more than two years to make that possible, ensuring that all properties could be connected, monitored, and analyzed in a standardized way.
A new way of working as the greatest challenge
Technology, however, was only half the journey. The biggest transformation was about people and ways of working.
“The real estate industry is deeply rooted in tradition. People are used to working locally, going out to the property and ‘fixing the problem’ on site. When you move toward digital operations and data-driven support, you have to start trusting tools, data, and analytics. That’s a significant shift.”
Previously, properties were often managed individually. Now, a more collaborative and centralized approach was required, where multiple roles work within the same tools and rely on the same information.
“If you don’t bring employees along on the journey, it becomes easy to blame the technology when something doesn’t work. But often it’s about maintenance, foundational data, or how the systems are being used. The real change lies in behavior.”
When the value becomes visible
As the infrastructure has fallen into place, the benefits have become increasingly clear. Today, Hemsö has a completely different level of oversight across its portfolio, particularly within HVAC and operations.
“We’re now starting to see real value. We can analyze properties remotely, monitor energy performance and indoor comfort, detect deviations more quickly, and make better-informed decisions.”
One concrete example is procurement and planning, where the same structured data can now be used across multiple contexts instead of searching for information in scattered documents and files.
“Connected buildings are a game changer. It’s only then that analysis, optimization, and long-term control truly become possible.”
Lessons for other real estate companies
Fredrik believes that many underestimate what a journey like this truly entails.
“This isn’t something you simply ‘buy.’ It requires new competencies, change management, and a new way of leading. And it takes time.”
His advice to other real estate companies is clear: take small steps with a strong focus on value. Be willing to invest, because progress does not happen without commitment. And bring your people along, because technology that isn’t used creates no value.
Next steps: Realizing the value and driving progress together
In the coming years, the focus will be on fully realizing the value of the digital platform now in place. Hemsö has a long-term ambition to reduce costs per square meter through digitalization, but equally important is strengthening the business, the working environment, and the experience within its properties.
“Now it’s about unlocking the power of what we’ve built. Supporting the organization so the technology is used to its full potential, and continuing to evolve through new collaborations.”
As a part of the next phase, Hemsö is participating in the Innovation Vault, a forum led by Myrspoven. The Innovation Vault is a collaboration within the real estate industry where participants work together and have the possibility to influence the development and initiatives that will be prioritized in Myrspoven’s ongoing product roadmap. Within Myrspoven’s Enterprise model, participants are also offered to participate in the recurring roadmap meetings to gain insight into upcoming priorities and planned development.
“We dared to take the leap”
When Fredrik looks back on the journey, one thing keeps coming up.
“I’m most proud that we dared to take the leap. We had leadership that believed in investing in digitalization and stayed the course even when it was difficult. Only now are many of the benefits starting to pay off, and we still have a lot left to do.”
And perhaps that is where Hemsö’s journey becomes clearest, in the intersection of vision and everyday reality. Building a digital foundation takes time, but once it is in place, it can make a difference where it matters most: enabling operations to stay one step ahead, improving indoor climate, supporting more accurate decisions, and creating property management that becomes both more resilient and more capable of learning over time.
About Myrspoven
Myrspoven AB is a pioneering force within energy optimization, dedicated to revolutionizing the way buildings harness and consume energy. With a deep commitment to sustainability, Myrspoven leverages cutting-edge AI technology and innovative solutions to create more efficient buildings, consuming less energy, as well as contributing to more sustainable and stable energy systems.