Climate change and sustainability are some of the most pressing issues facing today’s society and there are no easy solutions to fixing the long-term damage that has resulted from the use of fossil fuels and the disposable attitude to resources.
However, the very complexity of this problem is what is attracting the brightest minds to innovate, using technology not only to significantly reduce the demand for energy but to foster a greater sense of accountability and community.
One of the leaders in this field is Utopi, a Glasgow-based ESG Data and Technology company that has developed a global reach, thanks to its environmental, social and governance technology platform which is delivering sizable benefits in the multi-tenant property sector where it has already saved more than four million kilograms of CO₂ and delivered energy reductions of up to 31%.
This impressive track record is one of the reasons why Utopi was named winner of the Sustainable Innovation Award, sponsored by Aegon, in The Herald & GenAnalytics Scottish Impact Awards 2025.
These awards recognise organisations that create products, services and processes that drive sustainability and circular economy practices and to be in the running, entrants have to produce evidence of ideas and outcomes that are scaleable and will have long-term impact. In order to take the title, Utopi had to demonstrate its circular economy revenue, energy efficiency gains, waste reduction outcomes and sustainable supply chain.
For Falk Bleyl, CTO and Director, Utopi, the decision to take part in the awards was as a way of signaling to a wider audience the concrete impact that The Utopi Platform was having in a sector filled with great ideas that are not always backed up by positive outcomes.
Bleyl said: “This year, Utopi demonstrated results, insights, clients who have reduced their energy consumption by up to 30%, clients who have enhanced resident satisfaction by creating a more comfortable environment, and clients who have transformed their understanding of how their buildings are operating and have spotted unnecessary carbon waste.”
The difference between Utopi’s approach and typical PropTech tools, is the ability to integrate environmental and social metrics — from energy and water to wellbeing, air quality and occupancy — empowering clients to act, not just report and using proprietary IoT to provide real-time, granular data and actionable insights that enable stakeholders to monitor, optimise, and transform building performance at scale.
Over and above this tech approach, Utopi also aims to create healthier and more inclusive places to live, promoting community through events and gamifying energy saving on The Utopi Platform for the benefit of people and the planet.
Preparing their application for The Scottish Impact Awards allowed Utopi to look closely at how far the company had travelled and how its innovations were becoming a catalyst for systemic change in real estate.
Bleyl says: “We could see how our rapid international growth, industry-leading accolades, and measurable ESG outcomes demonstrated the sector’s appetite for genuine, data-led transformation. Reflecting on our journey highlighted our potential to shape how sustainability is understood, implemented, and valued — making data-driven ESG performance a foundational requirement rather than a reporting exercise.”
The next phase of development will be centered on scaled, global development and on continuing to produce innovation using cloud-based architecture across Europe and North America.
For Aegon, sponsors of the Sustainable Innovation Award category, Utopi aligned with its values of acting as a force for good and shaping optimistic futures for the environment, people and communities.
Inclusion and community Manager at Aegon, Heather Inglis said: “Our purpose is to help people live their best lives, and building a responsible business, giving back to our local communities and creating an inclusive workplace for our people help us make this positive impact. Celebrating at the 2025 Scottish Impact Awards with such a variety of organisations and individuals who are equally passionate about being a force for good in Scotland has been inspiring.”
Now, as the launch of The Herald & GenAnalytics Scottish Impact Awards 2026 approaches, there is optimism that the next cohort of entrants and winners will bring similar levels of insight and enterprising solutions to the challenges and opportunities that the new year affords.
To find out more about how to enter the 2026 Scottish Impact Awards, or to register your interest to sponsor the event, please contact sharon.franchetti@newsquest.co.uk.