Receptiveness of Young Singaporeans Towards Smart Features in Public Residential Buildings (SPRBS): Drivers and Barriers

Abstract

The development of smart and sustainable cities (SSCs) is a global focus to ensure cities remain resilient in a challenging environment. In Singapore, various initiatives have been introduced to maintain its competitiveness as an SSC. This study investigates the drivers and barriers affecting the receptiveness of young Singaporeans (aged 18 to 35) towards smart features in public residential buildings (SPRBs). Questionnaires were distributed to young Singaporeans, and 213 valid responses were collected over three months in 2023. It is worth noting over 40% of the respondents are 25 years old and below, classified as Generation Y. The results showed that among 80.3% of respondents who were familiar with SPRBs in Singapore, 68.1% of them either had a minimal or moderate understanding of SPRBs. The top five drivers were ease of access, safety-related factors, and psychological needs, while the top five barriers included cyberattacks, privacy and security concerns, overdependence, and task perception. Research findings have presented meaningful insights for relevant stakeholders to understand different perspectives of young Singaporeans arising from the implementation of SPRBs. It is hoped that public authorities will use this study to assess the feasibility of SPRBs and improve the concept to meet the evolving needs of future homebuyers in Singapore.