It may seem like sustainability efforts and enthusiasm have faltered in 2025. Deregulation and loss of governmental incentives like solar credits have reduced both external perks and pressures for achieving energy-efficiency progress. Plus, green building solutions still come with reputational baggage—the perception that they cost more while delivering inconvenient or inferior experiences.
But there are many more indicators that the building industry and the multifamily sector, in particular, are poised for a boom in smart technology, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered automation, and next-generation heating and cooling solutions that will transform the status quo by 2030.
Current and Emerging Building Technologies
When it comes to both retrofit improvements and energy-efficient new buildings, the technology is already here, asserts Thomas Stanchak, managing director of sustainability for Stoneweg, a multifamily company based in St. Petersburg, Florida. “There are some really interesting and transformative technologies that are ready for commercialization.”
Current prominent technologies include building automation that can control heating and air conditioning as well as turn electronic devices on and off to optimize energy usage. “These tools have matured and developed to deliver proven energy, water, and cost savings.”
Until recently, the challenge has been how accessible they are in terms of price and complexity. However, recent leaps in technology have made them more affordable and increasingly user-friendly. Many solutions, from traditional thermostat controls to portfolio-level supervision and control of mechanical systems like rooftop units and hot water tanks, can be interoperable, plug-and-play, and cloud-enabled. Users can access the information and controls they need via phones or desktops.
The internet of things (like mechanical systems and appliances and systems with self-diagnostics) has become ubiquitous. Meters that log building energy usage—enabling performance benchmarking and equipment troubleshooting—have come down drastically in cost, are easy to install, and report data autonomously so little human interaction is required.
The next stage, Stanchak believes, is connecting all these technologies with AI insights so site teams can use these systems for predictive maintenance, which can improve energy efficiency, repair costs, and resident experiences. “A practical reality with building maintenance and mechanical systems is things aren’t fixed until something breaks. System failures cause friction with residents, and you lose the opportunity to find the most cost-effective solution; you need to fix it fast at any price.”
Predictive maintenance offers many benefits: planning repairs at convenient times, avoiding downtime, working during normal hours, using off-the-shelf parts, and getting a chance to price things efficiently. “It’s a big win for everyone in terms of comfort, cost, and operational effectiveness,” Stanchak says.
The Imperative of Energy Independence
Another priority for multifamily residences, in the face of ever-greater demand for energy to power technology and increasingly extreme weather events, is less reliance on the traditional energy grid. Supplementary or backup energy sources such as on-site renewable energy (solar, wind) and energy storage (batteries) enhance building resilience by maintaining power during grid outages and extreme weather.
“It’s becoming more and more likely that the grid will be unstable and there’ll be more frequent longer power outages throughout the country,” Stanchak says. “I think power resilience will become more top of mind for people and part of the value proposition of multifamily communities.”
Another emerging energy technology to keep an eye on is solid-state HVAC. Traditional split-system HVACs that use refrigerants, heat pumps, and/or natural-gas furnaces for heating are still ubiquitous,” Stanchak says. “But solid-state HVAC is emerging, and I think it’ll be ready for prime time around 2030.” These systems use far fewer moving parts so they’ll be much quieter and less complex to maintain, while consuming drastically less energy.
What Less Government Involvement Could Mean
Losing incentives like solar tax credits may have dampened fervor for green initiatives, but Stanchak believes there will be a net positive outcome to recent changes. “Incentives were never straightforward. I don’t miss the complexity of having to quantify, explain, and document to capture tax incentives.” Rising energy prices and the appeal of technology advancements may be enough to incentivize widespread adoption of low-carbon practices. “There may be a dip, but I think adopting those technologies in multifamily and real estate in general will pick back up and soon skyrocket.”
Streamlined regulation could accelerate retrofitting of existing buildings—a vital part of the low-carbon future. Right, now, says Stanchak, “Each solar retrofit is unique—the structure, the location, the building codes, the relationship with the utility. I hope we’ll see continued deregulation and more flexibility when it comes to on-site renewable energy and storage. I want safe buildings and rigorous examination to make sure those systems are durable and reliable, but I believe that can be achieved with less complication.”
The Economics of Sustainability
While sustainability is often framed as a moral imperative and can be used as a divisive political football, it’s ultimately a practical financial choice for real estate investors and multifamily managers—one that can deliver a better experience for residents, if the proper investment is made. The goal is not just resource conservation but enhancing quality of life for residents, operational ease for managers, and net operating income for investors.
“There’s been this underlying argument with sustainability that it’s the right thing to do,” Stanchak says. “And I agree with that. But I think the argument that's ultimately winning is that it’s a smarter thing to do. Using technology and sustainability to optimize performance presents opportunities to improve NOI by a few percent, which is huge.”
Contrary to public perception that green solutions are inevitably inferior, Stanchak says there’s ample opportunity to deliver markedly better experiences to residents—and that’s also key to wider adoption. “It’s not enough to reduce environmental impact or increase building performance—it has to be better for residents too. You can’t just choose the cheapest thing. It requires thoughtful choices, it requires a good understanding of why you’re doing it: to serve people better.”
Next Steps and Keys to Mass Adoption
Technology advances alone aren’t enough—education, culture, and incentives are what are going to turn the tide. It ultimately comes down data and people, which go hand in hand. “You need data to know where you are and where you want to go, and then you need people to enact change,” Stanchak says. “You have to meet them where they are and give them the information and resources they need to adopt these technologies.”
“I believe we’ll meet in the middle,” he continues. “I think technology becoming more accessible on one end and increasing education on the other is how change actually happens. Building managers and maintenance teams will become more knowledgeable, and advanced technologies will become more accessible. These systems will tell us what we need to know and what to do about it, and we’ll see the benefits and be more willing to participate.”
People may need more convincing and more evidence, but Stanchak thinks the majority will come on board eventually. “I’ve talked to many people across our organization, in all roles and walks of life, and I haven’t yet met someone who doesn’t find a shared benefit in these sustainability efforts.”
Stanchak says he believes 95% of the technology needed to transition from fossil fuels to a low-carbon economy is in place. “This issue is pretty straightforward. We tend to make it more complicated than it is. The challenge is committing to doing something that’s difficult, and to do it well. The transition from a fossil-fuel economy to a low-carbon economy may be one of the most difficult things humanity will ever do. If we can do that, we can do anything.”