REA Group adds AI energy scores to realestate.com.au via VALAI stake

What's the deal? REA Group has taken a minority stake in VALAIDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an AI-powered energy intelligence platform, and will add its flagship Home Efficiency Score to property profiles on realestate.com.auDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. Terms were not disclosed.

What's the product? VALAI combines property data with AI-driven energy modelling to produce a comparable score at national scale. Its scores reflect a home's energy performance across heating, cooling, hot water, appliances, and the building's thermal fabric.

What users will see: On realestate.com.au, listings will show a score out of 10 and a comparison to the suburb benchmark. The feature also suggests ways to improve performance and estimated savings.

Why now? REA Group research shows two in five Australians are unsure how to improve their home's efficiency, even as seven in 10 plan to invest in energy-efficient features within five years. "Adding this new home energy efficiency score feature to every property profile will help to bridge a clear knowledge gap," said Jonathan Swift, chief product officer at REA Group.

What's the endgame? VALAI also supplies data to large businesses and financial decision-making tools, and its website says it is building a similar product for commercial buildings. "That intelligence is available to every property owner in the country, not just those who know where to look," said Allys Todd, chief executive officer at VALAI.

The signal: The deal extends REA Group's recent string of stakes and partnerships, following a 35% stake in Ireland's DistilledDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → in September. Embedding energy scores at listing level pushes sustainability data into the home-buying decision — turning efficiency from an afterthought into a comparable metric buyers and owners can act on.

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