Question: I’ve heard that many new villa communities in Dubai are being built with smart-home and energy-efficient features. Should I expect those as standard, or will I still need to pay a premium for these amenities? What difference will these features make when I decide to sell or rent? SP, Sharjah
Answer: In recent launches across Dubai, especially in newer master communities and developments targeting high-end buyers or families, we are beginning to see smart home features and energy-efficiency measures integrated as standard, having before been add-ons.
Firstly, I need to point out that these features are not universally standard yet and they still carry varying premium values, so you may need to pay a little extra for the privilege. What is important, though, is that the premium is becoming more measurable and the value differential between smart/eco-spec villas and ordinary ones is increasing.
What we see as standard are smart homes with voice-controlled lighting and air-conditioning, solar-ready rooftop infrastructure, smart metres, efficient reflective glazing, intelligent leak sensors and,
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