Smart Sustainability - The New Benchmark of Value in Real Estate

In an exclusive interaction with Jaipriya, Assistant Editor, Homes India, Mayank Jain, CEO, KREEVA, shares his insightful perspectives on how smart sustainability is emerging as a new benchmark value in Indian real estate.  Mayank has a strong foundation in financial advisory, commercial real estate, and key account management.

For more than five years, he has headed the Capital Markets division for North India at Savills India, handling high-value transactions and deep market penetration. His past leadership roles at Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers International, and CBRE have further honed his expertise, deepening his understanding of capital markets and investment strategies.

For years, the Indian homebuyer’s checklist was predictable: good location, generous square footage, and a touch of luxury in finishes. A house was a status symbol, defined by what could be seen and measured. But that idea is shifting, particularly in markets like Delhi-NCR, where discerning new-gen buyers are redefining premium living. From Gurugram’s high-rises to elsewhere in the country, developers are proactively building these “future-ready” spaces by blending climate-responsive architecture with IoT-enabled systems.

The Economics Behind Smart Homes

What’s driving this transformation is the cost-benefit analysis. Smart, sustainable homes are proving that responsibility and return on investment can go hand in hand.

But more than lowering a carbon footprint, energy-efficient design and automation bring measurable savings. Industry data shows that green-certified buildings in India consume 30–40 percent less energy and use 20–50 percent less water than conventional ones. Add to that the efficiencies of AI-powered thermostats, adaptive lighting, and connected appliances, and the monthly utility bill can drop by significant proportions. In a time of rising power costs and erratic water supply, such savings are not a luxury but a safeguard, particularly for those investing in energy-efficient homes.

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Moreover, the value appreciation of sustainable homes is now quantifiable. As per reports published in various online articles, certified green properties are commanding a 10–15 percent premium, with resale values about 10–12 percent higher than their traditional peers across major metros. The larger picture tells the same story: India’s green building market is expected to touch $85 billion by FY32, while the smart home segment is projected to reach $13.6 billion by 2033, according to the IMARC report. These aren’t isolated trends; they mark a decisive market shift.

A Lifestyle of Comfort and Sustainability

For younger buyers, particularly millennials and Gen Z professionals, sustainability isn’t a facility, it’s a value system. They want homes that enhance health and well-being as much as they reduce waste.

Buyers today are far more informed. Questions about air quality, the materials used in construction, and even the kind of plants chosen for landscaping are quite common. Green certification has also gone beyond marketing lines and has emerged as proof of responsible design, a key part of sustainable housing trends in India.

This awareness has led to an emphasis on architectural elements like cross-ventilation, natural daylight, and low-VOC paints. Automation, voice-controlled lighting, temperature settings, and security systems have also led to what many call, responsible luxury.

Solar rooftops, promoted under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, and pre-installed EV charging points are fast becoming standard inclusions. Homes that draw less from the grid and more from renewable sources will only gain in desirability. Beyond environmental sense, this is financial foresight; properties aligned with emerging energy and construction norms won’t face costly retrofits or regulatory hurdles later.

Delhi-NCR: A Case Study in Smart Evolution

This transformation is highly remarkable in the NCR. Here, developers are repositioning their projects around sustainability. Coupled with the government mandate, features once considered add-ons, rainwater harvesting, waste treatment, and reflective facades, are now intrinsic to design.

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To an extent, the narrative has also changed. A prime address is no longer the ultimate badge of value. The true benchmark now is a home that is intelligent and conserves energy. As global data continues to affirm the financial and environmental dividends of green real estate, one thing is clear: the smartest homes are not those that simply respond to our needs, but those that anticipate them.

The luxury home of the future will not only gleam with design but breathe with purpose. It will save energy, protect its residents’ health, and sustain its worth through every economic and environmental turn. In a market as competitive as NCR’s, the homes that think ahead aren’t just desirable, they’re inevitable.