Did you know that real estate contributes nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions? From homes to office buildings, the spaces we occupy play a massive role in the climate crisis. But London-based startup UpGreen is tackling this head-on—making sustainable upgrades both affordable and accessible.
Revolutionizing Real Estate Retrofits with AI Power
UpGreen, a female co-led climate tech startup, is developing an AI-driven platform designed to transform how real estate owners approach retrofits. Backed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), their innovative solution identifies profitable projects, secures execution, and verifies returns—taking the guesswork out of energy-efficient upgrades.
The funding comes from UKRI’s £7 million Technology Missions Fund under the Bridge AI programme, supporting groundbreaking solutions like UpGreen’s.
Think of UpGreen as the “Klarna of retrofits.” Just as Klarna revolutionized online shopping with “buy now, pay later,” UpGreen offers a similar model—making sustainability upgrades easy and cost-effective without upfront capital expenditure.
Automated Workflows Cut Costs and Boost Returns
Founder Puja Balachander, an Oxford graduate and Director of Venture at Carbon13, explains how their platform minimizes capital costs while delivering real results.
“Our AI-driven system slashes management and admin costs by 66% by automating workflows for coordinating installers and tenants,” she shared. “We focus on projects that meet minimum EPC compliance while ensuring property owners get measurable returns.”
UpGreen’s platform transforms energy upgrades from costly burdens into valuable investments. By leveraging data-driven insights, property owners can unlock savings, increase their property’s value, and reduce CO₂ emissions—all without heavy upfront spending.
Tackling the Biggest Barriers in Retrofit Adoption
Since its founding in 2024, UpGreen has targeted the biggest pain points in the retrofit market. Balachander points out that despite the pressing need for sustainable retrofits, the market lacks scalable, financially viable solutions.
“Many property owners don’t even know where to begin,” she said. “Solutions out there are either too expensive or offer unclear returns on investment. Plus, without standard frameworks, comparing retrofit outcomes becomes nearly impossible.”
UpGreen solves these challenges by providing an end-to-end platform. It analyses energy consumption, identifies cost-effective upgrades, and connects property owners with trusted installers—all while ensuring minimal disruption during implementation.
AI-Driven Precision for Profitable Upgrades
What sets UpGreen apart is its tech-enabled, scalable approach. The platform integrates financing, analytics, and execution into one seamless system. Machine learning algorithms—developed in partnership with Siemens Real Estate and Innovate UK—eliminate data gaps and improve accuracy.
“We’ve achieved a 20% improvement in cost estimate accuracy and 6% savings prediction gains already,” Balachander noted. “Our AI even corrects data errors and fills energy data gaps, making our solution reliable and efficient.”
UpGreen quantifies the energy and financial impact of every retrofit project. The result? Property owners not only hit their EPC targets but also enjoy long-term value growth and regulatory compliance—meeting MEES regulations and ESG goals effortlessly.
Set to Launch: A Game-Changer for Real Estate Portfolios
Launching in June, UpGreen’s platform is poised to reshape the way commercial property owners tackle energy waste. By streamlining project delivery and maximizing returns, UpGreen empowers the real estate sector to meet the UK’s net-zero targets faster.
“Our solution bridges the gap between ambitious climate goals and what’s financially feasible for property owners,” said Balachander. “We make it easy to make smart, impactful decisions—quickly.”
Scaling Impact: Decarbonising Real Estate at Scale
UpGreen’s vision extends beyond individual projects. Over the next 3-5 years, the company aims to scale adoption across large commercial real estate portfolios—improving energy performance certificates (EPCs) and driving measurable carbon reductions.
Focusing on the UK and Europe, UpGreen plans to become the go-to retrofit financing solution for real estate investors and commercial landlords.
By 2028, Balachander projects bold milestones:
- £300K in Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)
- 40,000 buildings retrofitted
- 7,500 retrofits financed via banking partners
- £1.3 trillion unlocked in global retrofit investments
- 200,000 metric tonnes of CO₂ mitigated within four years
With strong UKRI backing and cutting-edge AI capabilities, UpGreen is redefining real estate retrofits. Their platform delivers financial returns, simplifies compliance, and accelerates climate impact—all while making sustainable upgrades attainable for the property sector.
