The Promise of Smart Housing: Sustainable Living Meets Innovation
Written by: Eric Ochieng
Edited by: Linet Kanario
In the past decades, people thought that living in a house that fulfilled their wellness needs was a far-fetched fantasy, little did they know that this would become a reality in the 21st century. In today’s smart homes, as the sun rises, the curtains gently open, creating an ambience where lighting, temperature, air quality and humidity are flawlessly controlled. In the evening as the sun sets, one can relax in a backyard that combines indoor comfort with outdoor greenery and when darkness descends, security systems light up pathways, ready to keep the home safe. Such is the life of a smart homeowner.
With such seamless features one may wonder, what is the mechanism behind the reactions? This is where this blog comes in handy. Smart homes don’t just react, these homes anticipate their owner’s needs, with all the integrated technology creating an ecosystem of comfort, convenience and safety. Smart gadgets effortlessly set the mood and carry out mundane tasks —you don’t even have to lift a finger.
Smart Housing and its Technology
What is Smart housing? This, also known as intelligent housing, is a modern approach to living that leverages advanced technology to enhance convenience, efficiency, and security. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT) and automation offers homeowners control over their living environment.
The IoT connects day to day devices to the internet, contributing to the concept of a “global village”. Think of walking into a home and saying, “turn on the lights” and it’s done. AI takes it a step further by learning the owner’s habits and preferences, making the home truly personalized. All this technology integrated into one system has given owners control over their homes by the click of a button or use of their sound.
Human’s innate urge to make life easier has highly contributed to the conception and advancement of smart housing. This backed up by the rapid advancement in technology that entails voice activated controls, virtual assistance (Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant), energy efficient solutions (smart thermostats, energy efficient lighting and advanced security systems) smart locks, doorbell cameras and motion sensors has transformed modern homes into smart, interactive ecosystems.

The Global, Africa and Kenya Smart Home Market
- Global Market
According to Statista, the global revenue in the Smart Home market is projected to reach $174.0bn in 2025. This revenue projection is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2025-2029) of 9.55% resulting in a projected market volume of $250.6bn by 2029. In addition, household penetration is expected to reach 77.6% in 2025 and is forecasted to hit 92.5% by 2029.
- The African and Kenya Market
The smart home market in Africa is valued at approximately $2.32bn in 2023 and is forecasted to reach $8.63bn by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.7% from 2024 to 2030. Narrowing down to our country, Kenya, according to Statista the total value in smart home market is projected to reach $63.0 this year with a growth rate of 7.63% between 2025 and 2029 resulting in a market value of $ 84.5M in 2029.
From the above statistical analysis, the smart market holds so much potential. In Kenya for instance where total housing deficit is 2M units and increases by 200,000 annually, the need for sustainable and innovative housing cannot be greater. According to World Bank data there are 50,000 units supplied by both public and private developers annually. In these, smart housing can be incorporated leading to delivery of quality and efficient homes.
Bridging Affordable housing and Smart housing in Kenya
The urbanization rate in Kenya is 4.4% which is above the global average of 2.1% and as stated earlier the demand far outpaces the supply. As a result, the need for affordable housing in the country continues to expand hence the need to develop creative solutions. That said, does affordability only constitute the purchase price or does it include long-run operational costs as well? To answer this question, we need to find a solution that meets the threshold of affordability in terms of purchase price as well as the utility costs. In our opinion, Kenyan developers should make deliberate efforts to integrate cost-effective technologies that enhance living standards without inflating construction costs.
Kenya having a bulging middle class with a strong preference for smart homes must make concerted efforts to bridge the housing deficit with smart affordable homes. Developers can leverage innovations like prefabricated materials, which reduce material waste and construction time, coupled with energy efficient designs that lower the operational expenses for homeowners. Integrating smart features such as digital electricity meters, solar powered heating and lighting, prepaid water and basic IoT-enabled devices for home management can significantly improve functionality and affordability. Developing strategic partnerships with technology providers and financial institutions can also ensure access to subsidized smart solutions, making them attainable for low-to middle-income households.

Recommendations and Future Trends
To upscale affordable smart housing in Kenya, public-private collaborations which encourage project funding and quality expertise should be embraced. A case in point is South Korea, where the government extends tax incentives to private developers who integrate affordable units within their developments to help address the housing shortage. Kenya can borrow a leaf from this initiative and develop government policies like tax incentives for green and tech-enabled housing, coupled with private sector innovation, that can create a sustainable ecosystem for these developments.
Looking into the future, developers must prioritize community-centric designs on large scale projects, offering shared smart amenities such as solar grids, water purification systems, and communal Wi-Fi, reducing individual costs while improving quality of life. By aligning affordability with smart living, the public and the private sector can address the Kenya’s acute housing shortage while empowering residents with future ready homes that support both economic and environmental sustainability.
References
Smarter Homes: Moving From Tech For Tech’s Sake To Tech With A Purpose
The Future of Smart Homes: How Technology Enhances Property Value
Smart Home – Worldwide | Statista Market Forecast
“A Human-Centred Approach to Smart Housing”
“Smarter Homes: Moving From Tech For Tech’s Sake To Tech With A Purpose”
“The Future Of Smart Homes: How Technology Enhances Property Value”