Virtual Power Plants vs Microgrids in Commercial Real Estate

Propmodo Technology

Greetings,

The big PropTech story this week is the growing conflict between Zillow and Compass. Recent lawsuits have reshaped how MLSs enforce mutual cooperation rules, particularly the one that prohibits agents from marketing a listing before it's published on a listing site. In response, brokerages like Compass have begun promoting listings early, often to their internal networks.

Now, Zillow and Redfin have taken enforcement into their own hands, banning listings they identify as “pocket listings.” Compass has responded by suing Zillow to block the ban. The outcome of this lawsuit could either strengthen Zillow’s authority to enforce cooperation rules or pave the way for brokerages to use early-access listings as a competitive advantage.

Also this week, we’re focusing on sustainable energy—specifically how buildings are optimizing energy use. While "microgrids" have become a popular term, the real focus for many portfolio owners is on "virtual power plants." These cloud-based systems help balance on-site energy consumption and grid demand in real time. As companies push toward sustainability goals, more are exploring direct energy purchases from specific power plants, which is accelerating the growth of virtual power plant adoption.

Let’s go!

Bytes

🗺️ Heat mapped
India is using satellite imagery and AI analysis to help identify urban heat problems down to the building level.

🧊 Ice bathing
The HVAC company Trane is rolling out a cooling system that uses an “ice battery” that is designed to help leverage off-peak electricity to help cool a building throughout the day.

🦠 Going north
Waltz, a startup targeting foreign nationals investing in American real estate, has secured $25 million in funding to scale its operations across Latin America.

Sustainable Energy

Overheard

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Propmodo Technology is edited by Franco Faraudo with contributions from readers like you and the Propmodo team.

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