Centennials‘ priorities and preferences for their home of the future
En la era de la digitalización, la integración de la tecnología en el hogar se ha convertido en una cuestión clave para la generación Z, también conocida como los “nativos digitales”. Sin embargo, pese a los innegables avances de los últimos años, la revolución tecnológica del hogar –tendría su máxima expresión en la casa domótica o la smart home– es un proceso todavía lento y extremadamente costoso; y aunque los jóvenes valoran la conectividad y los electrodomésticos inteligentes, la visión de la integración tecnológica en sus futuros hogares plantea preguntas interesantes sobre la evolución de los roles de género en las tareas del hogar. ¿Hasta qué punto los jóvenes imaginan la integración de la tecnología en su hogar futuro? ¿Cuáles son los electrodomésticos de última generación que consideran imprescindibles?
Digitalisation and sustainability in the housing of the future
Young Zs have it clear, connectivity and sustainability are their priorities when asked about the main technological transformations that will affect the housing of the future. Connectivity – understood as access to the internet and interconnectivity between different work and leisure devices (tablet, mobile phone, computer, etc.) – appears as the most recurrent answer among young people with 52.6% of responses; while, in second place, we detect the presence of energy and water-saving appliances and taps. This option is cited by 48.2% of young people.
Within the options related to connectivity, “smart and interconnected household appliances” (41.6%) and “interconnected appliances (home automation)” (41.2%) stand out, showing a balanced interest in technology in different aspects of the home. However, the “smart waste management” option received fewer responses (25.5%).
When analysing preferences by gender, it can be seen that men show a greater interest in interconnectivity between devices, while women more frequently mention options related to sustainability, such as water and energy saving and smart waste management. In any case, the final order of the options remains unchanged.
The cleaning robot as an ally in the home of young Zs
Convenience and practicality are the values that young people from Generation Z seem to prioritise when they are given the option of choosing the technological device they consider essential in their home of the future. Thus, ahead of virtual assistants or interactive screens, the most cited option with a significant difference with respect to the rest is the cleaning robot (63.8%), followed by the kitchen robot (48.2%). To a lesser extent, virtual assistants (37.6%), smart touchscreen fridges (34.5%) and interactive displays (30.2%) were mentioned.
Immovable stereotypes
Although one of the features of Generation Z is female empowerment and the emergence of new models of masculinity, some survey responses revealed the persistence of traditional stereotypes. Women more frequently mention devices linked to cooking and cleaning, while men gave more importance to virtual assistants and interactive screens.