EXPO REAL 2026: Infrastructure takes centre stage as market seeks clarity

Expo Real 2026 arrives at a moment of structural change for European real estate. Capital markets remain cautious, operational performance is becoming central to asset value, and infrastructure is rapidly emerging as a core investment theme. Speaking to CRE Media Europe, exhibition director Claudia Boymanns outlines how this year’s edition responds to these shifts with a broader remit and a sharper strategic focus.

Claudia Boymanns; exhibition director, Expo Real

A defining theme for 2026 is the rise of investable infrastructure. Boymanns notes that investors increasingly view property and infrastructure as interconnected systems. Utilities, energy production, digital networks and social infrastructure are no longer adjacent sectors — they are becoming embedded in the real estate investment case.

This evolution is reflected in Expo Real’s new subtitle, International Trade Fair for Property, Investment and Infrastructure, and in the launch of InfrastructureNow, a dedicated forum covering energy infrastructure, digital and social systems, and defence. The goal is to give investors and developers a clearer view of where infrastructure demand is accelerating and how capital can participate.

Housing remains a major pillar of the fair, with affordability, flexibility and sustainability dominating debate. The special exhibition Flexible housing – opportunities next door will showcase modular concepts, commercial‑to‑residential conversion strategies and the implications of tenancy law reform.

Decarbonisation, digitalisation and artificial intelligence also return as headline themes at Transform & Beyond, now in its third year. Discussions will explore AI’s measurable value in asset management, the impact of the EU AI Act and how companies can scale energy infrastructure without becoming energy suppliers.

While Expo Real’s core audience; investors, developers, financiers, cities and regions remains unchanged, the exhibitor base is expanding. New participants from energy, mobility, digital infrastructure and social infrastructure are joining the fair, alongside technology providers driving AI, automation and decarbonisation. The result, Boymanns says, is “a broader Expo Real ecosystem – with new perspectives and new connections, while keeping our core target groups firmly at its centre.”

More than 60 exhibitors will present digital and AI‑driven solutions at Transform & Beyond. Key areas include AI‑enabled planning and development, smart building systems, digital building management, data reporting and automation in construction and operations. Technology is already delivering measurable value, Boymanns notes, though significant potential remains untapped. The fair aims to help investors and developers understand where digital tools can drive performance today and where future gains are likely to emerge.

On capital markets, Boymanns expects conversations to focus less on when the market will “return to normal” and more on where capital and viable projects can meet under today’s return and risk requirements. “It is precisely these questions that will shape many discussions during Expo Real,” she says.

Beyond capital markets, operational real estate is gaining strategic importance. Asset value increasingly depends on use, occupancy, management and user needs, not just physical characteristics. “Expo Real’s strength lies in bringing together investors, developers, operators and users to understand the full business behind the building.”

Highlighting what makes Expo Real such an important part of the European real estate calendar, Boymanns points to the fair’s role as a dealmaking platform. “Expo Real has always been about doing business. That is why we focus on making the three days in Munich as productive and efficient as possible for exhibitors and visitors alike.”

She emphasises the Expo Real network app as a way visitors have been able to connect ahead of the fair, as well as the growing international participation with notable growth from Asia‑Pacific, Romania, Greece and a major presence from Abu Dhabi.

Boymanns’ advice to attendees this year; don’t wait for the market to return to past conditions. Instead, focus on where opportunities are emerging today. “This is exactly where Expo Real comes in: bringing the right people together to ask where viable business models and investments can work.”