Smart Homes and Smart Workspaces: Promoting Carbon Neutral Sustainable Lifestyle

The world is heating up - literally. In the face of climate change, rising energy demands and urban population growth, the pressure of adopting sustainable practices has never been greater.

In 2023, Global Carbon Emission set a record of 57.1 Gigaton which is 1.3% increase from 2022 levels. The current emission trends are projected to lead to a global temperature increase +3.1 degree celsius by the end of the century. Global primary energy consumption reached a record 620 exajoules (EJ) in 2023, a 2% increase from the previous year and consistent growth of 1.7% in urban population would only increase the numbers in the consistent years.

In 2024, it was reported that buildings account for one third of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, making them one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation. The traditional home and office setup are ill-equipped to meet the challenge of a carbon neutral future. Thankfully, many households and workspaces are switching to smart technologies to keep their premises optimized and eco-friendly.

Smart thermostats intelligently adjust indoor temperatures based on occupancy and usage patterns, reducing heating by 10–12% and cooling by 15%, which can save homeowners approximately ₹11,000 annually. Smart lighting systems, using automated controls and energy-efficient LEDs, consume up to 75% less energy and can cut lighting-related usage by as much as 60%, while lasting 25 times longer than traditional bulbs. Smart appliances—such as refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers—further reduce household energy costs by 2–9% through optimized performance. Collectively, these smart home technologies can decrease a household’s overall carbon emissions by nearly 12.78%, making them a significant tool in the transition toward sustainable living.

Although the smart home market in India is growing at 9.14% CAGR (expected to hit $9.2 billion by 2028), the reality is that most Indian households cannot afford smart technologies. The initial investment costs, lack of digital infrastructure, and low digital literacy in rural and semi-urban areas pose major hurdles. Even in urban India, awareness and affordability remain barriers to large-scale smart tech adoption.

While India’s real estate and infrastructure sectors are gradually adopting sustainability, the development is currently limited to IT hubs, luxury apartments, or planned smart cities. The vast majority of India’s middle and lower income urban households remain untouched by these innovations.

Government should lead initiatives to make smart tech more affordable and accessible to the semi-urban and rural areas through collaboration to develop the technology locally and should collaborate with private sectors to deploy scalable solutions. The need for intervention in this sector is all time high now because Smart Tech isn’t just about convenience, it's about survival.

Author: Mayank Jain, Manager, Institutional Social Responsibility, Dr. OP Bhalla Foundation