Imagine coming home on a frosty Scottish evening: the hallway lights glow softly, your living room and kitchen are a perfect 20°C, and your electric vehicle is ready to charge overnight on the cheapest tariff.  

This is no longer science fiction – it’s an emerging reality for a growing number of Scottish homeowners, but what does the future hold? 

As a housebuilding lawyer with a keen interest in technology and innovation, I wanted to explore the future of smart-enabled living – the adoption of which is helped by the new-build market. 

Convenience

Today’s buyers juggle hybrid work patterns, family schedules, and rising energy bills. The hope is that integrated technology will soon answer these needs effortlessly. Already, features like video doorbells provide peace of mind, voice-activated controls keep your hands free during busy mornings, and zonal heating ensures you only warm the rooms you use. It’s now much easier to set your heating to come on just before you arrive home or have your lights adjust automatically as the sun rises or sets. These features not only make life easier, but also help create a welcoming, comfortable environment every day. 

Looking ahead, smart home technology will continue to streamline daily routines. Imagine coffee machines that start brewing as your alarm goes off, or smart fridges and cupboards that monitor your food and automatically reorder supplies as needed. As adoption widens, these conveniences will become part of everyday life. 

Sustainability

While smart living may begin to feel futuristic, it also supports Scotland’s net-zero ambitions. Photovoltaic (PV) panels and electric vehicle (EV) charging points have become common in most new-build developments. With the Scottish Government’s ban on gas boilers now taking effect, heat pumps and communal heating systems are quickly becoming the norm. 

The market for energy generation equipment is relatively mature but there’s still progress to be made, particularly in energy storage and more effective use of what’s generated. While it’s already possible to sell surplus energy from PV panels back to the grid, the high cost of battery storage means it remains out of reach for many households. 

What new builds are delivering

Today’s new-build homes are increasingly designed with digital living in mind. Smart thermostats, multi-room wi-fi, and smart meters are becoming standard features, moving us toward a world where every corner of the home is connected and future-ready. 

Buyers often have the option to select from a range of upgrades beyond the standard specification. These systems are installed during construction, so homeowners benefit from a seamless finish, no post-completion wiring mess, and the reassurance of a manufacturer’s guarantee and a customer service team who can also help. 

The drawbacks

Will smart home technology date quickly? As with most new technology, reputable systems receive firmware updates in the background which means that your home stays current with the latest features and security enhancements. The nature of other technology is harder to integrate in future. New build houses which were built e.g. five years ago will never have contemplated having battery storage solutions, so the infrastructure may not easily support retrofitting newer, more advanced systems without significant cost or disruption.

What about hacking? This will again largely come down to how reputable the companies are who provide the technology. The hope would be that most are partnering with certified suppliers who use high levels of encryption. As we allow technology to do more in our lives, the risks associated with losing control of the system increase as well. 

What about the risk of AI control? This is a whole other conversation, but most people will have heard of HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey – the popular example of when computers can have their own agenda. The idea of this may well be enough to put people off considering smart technology that interacts with critical functions in their home. 

Future horizons

We know what the current landscape for smart living looks like, but where might we be headed in the next few years? 

Much of the uncertainty about the future comes from the rapid evolution of AI. The pace of change in the past two years has been exponential, and if that continues, we could see real transformation. Here are some realistic possibilities:

• AI predicting your heating and hot water demand, helping you find the best tariff, and even scheduling appliances like washing machines and dishwashers to run at the most cost-effective times.
• Neighbours pooling battery storage, PV generation, and EV capabilities to trade spare power within their communities.
• Smart sensors supporting vulnerable or elderly residents, enabling independent living for longer.  

The technology is coming, but the future of smart homes in Scotland won’t just be about convenience. It will be about developers using technology to continue to create communities that are safer, more sustainable, and better connected. 

In time, we may see even greater integration between homes and the wider energy grid. Smart neighbourhoods could share resources, balance energy loads, and respond collectively to changes in demand. This will require much more than just technology; it will require a culture shift both in terms of planning developments as well as purchaser’s expectations regarding ownership and exclusivity of use. 

I don’t pretend to have the answers to these much wider considerations – perhaps a new task to throw at your favourite AI platform!

If you would like to discuss anything raised in this article, please get in touch with Mike Guthrie or your usual Burness Paull contact.

Related News, Insights & Events