Critical Smart Functions for Smart Living Based on User Perspectives
Smart living is strongly promoted to enhance the quality of life via the application of innovative solutions, and this is driven by domain specialists and policymakers, including designers, urban planners, computer engineers, and property developers. Nonetheless, the actual user, whose views ought t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/15/2727 |
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| author | Benjamin Botchway Frank Ato Ghansah David John Edwards Ebenezer Kumi-Amoah Joshua Amo-Larbi |
| author_facet | Benjamin Botchway Frank Ato Ghansah David John Edwards Ebenezer Kumi-Amoah Joshua Amo-Larbi |
| author_sort | Benjamin Botchway |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Smart living is strongly promoted to enhance the quality of life via the application of innovative solutions, and this is driven by domain specialists and policymakers, including designers, urban planners, computer engineers, and property developers. Nonetheless, the actual user, whose views ought to be considered during the design and development of smart living systems, has received little attention. Thus, this study aims to identify and examine the critical smart functions to achieve smart living in smart buildings based on occupants’ perceptions. The aim is achieved using a sequential quantitative research method involving a literature review and 221 valid survey data gathered from a case of a smart student residence in Hong Kong. The method is further integrated with descriptive statistics, the Kruskal–Walli’s test, and the criticality test. The results were validated via a post-survey with related experts. Twenty-six critical smart functions for smart living were revealed, with the top three including the ability to protect personal data and information privacy, provide real-time safety and security, and the ability to be responsive to users’ needs. A need was discovered to consider the context of buildings during the design of smart living systems, and the recommendation is for professionals to understand the kind of digital technology to be integrated into a building by strongly considering the context of the building and how smart living will be achieved within it based on users’ perceptions. The study provides valuable insights into the occupants’ perceptions of critical smart features/functions for policymakers and practitioners to consider in the construction of smart living systems, specifically students’ smart buildings. This study contributes to knowledge by identifying the critical smart functions to achieve smart living based on occupants’ perceptions of smart living by considering the specific context of a smart student building facility constructed in Hong Kong. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c3cc7b4f55ef4474af870b2e3ee49683 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj-art-c3cc7b4f55ef4474af870b2e3ee496832025-08-20T03:36:03ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-08-011515272710.3390/buildings15152727Critical Smart Functions for Smart Living Based on User PerspectivesBenjamin Botchway0Frank Ato Ghansah1David John Edwards2Ebenezer Kumi-Amoah3Joshua Amo-Larbi4Department of Construction Technology and Management, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi AK384, GhanaSchool of Construction, Property and Surveying, College of Technology and Environment, London South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, UKInfrastructure Futures Research Group, College of the Built Environment, Birmingham City University, Birmingham B4 7XG, UKConsolidated Bank Ghana, Manet Tower 1st Floor, Airport City, Cantonments, Accra PMB CT 363, GhanaDepartment of Real Estate and Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong KongSmart living is strongly promoted to enhance the quality of life via the application of innovative solutions, and this is driven by domain specialists and policymakers, including designers, urban planners, computer engineers, and property developers. Nonetheless, the actual user, whose views ought to be considered during the design and development of smart living systems, has received little attention. Thus, this study aims to identify and examine the critical smart functions to achieve smart living in smart buildings based on occupants’ perceptions. The aim is achieved using a sequential quantitative research method involving a literature review and 221 valid survey data gathered from a case of a smart student residence in Hong Kong. The method is further integrated with descriptive statistics, the Kruskal–Walli’s test, and the criticality test. The results were validated via a post-survey with related experts. Twenty-six critical smart functions for smart living were revealed, with the top three including the ability to protect personal data and information privacy, provide real-time safety and security, and the ability to be responsive to users’ needs. A need was discovered to consider the context of buildings during the design of smart living systems, and the recommendation is for professionals to understand the kind of digital technology to be integrated into a building by strongly considering the context of the building and how smart living will be achieved within it based on users’ perceptions. The study provides valuable insights into the occupants’ perceptions of critical smart features/functions for policymakers and practitioners to consider in the construction of smart living systems, specifically students’ smart buildings. This study contributes to knowledge by identifying the critical smart functions to achieve smart living based on occupants’ perceptions of smart living by considering the specific context of a smart student building facility constructed in Hong Kong.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/15/2727human-centered designscritical smart functionssmart livingsmart/intelligent buildinguser perspectivesuser-centered designs |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin Botchway Frank Ato Ghansah David John Edwards Ebenezer Kumi-Amoah Joshua Amo-Larbi Critical Smart Functions for Smart Living Based on User Perspectives Buildings human-centered designs critical smart functions smart living smart/intelligent building user perspectives user-centered designs |
| title | Critical Smart Functions for Smart Living Based on User Perspectives |
| title_full | Critical Smart Functions for Smart Living Based on User Perspectives |
| title_fullStr | Critical Smart Functions for Smart Living Based on User Perspectives |
| title_full_unstemmed | Critical Smart Functions for Smart Living Based on User Perspectives |
| title_short | Critical Smart Functions for Smart Living Based on User Perspectives |
| title_sort | critical smart functions for smart living based on user perspectives |
| topic | human-centered designs critical smart functions smart living smart/intelligent building user perspectives user-centered designs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/15/2727 |
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