Envision: the digital blueprint for a smart home of the future

Coordinated by the Scottish Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI), this practical blueprint and guidance for delivering the next generation of homes that are affordable to run, aligned with net zero, and designed to support the health and wellbeing of their residents.

It forms part of the Moray Growth Deal, funded by £5m Rural Centre of Excellence for Digital Health & Care Innovation project in collaboration with local authorities and wider innovation partners to support a programme that advances digital health, social care innovation, and rural housing.

Designed for rural Scotland but relevant far beyond, it combines low-carbon construction, digital health, and adaptive design into a single, integrated blueprint. The model is structured across three horizons (short, medium and long term), allowing housing providers and policymakers to act immediately while planning for future integration and ambitions.

It reframes the home as part of our national infrastructure, reducing demand on health and care services, tackling fuel poverty, and supporting independent living and wellbeing. It’s a scalable, evidence-led approach to building homes that are not only sustainable, but sustainable to live in and ensure future proofing.

Alongside the blueprint are additional appendices which offer a Matrix to support decision making and aid practical implementation, as well as a useful affordability modelling tool for rural Scotland..

Speaking at the online launch, our CEO, Jeremy Porteus, said

This is a really useful design Blueprint for the industry on the need for our future sustainable, accessible, adaptable and digitally enabled homes. They add further colour to the HAPPI and TAPPI principles. We look forward to supporting their adoption.