Global Scans · Homes · Weekly Summary

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WHAT'S NEXT?: The number of smart homes is expected to grow further and by 2020 it is expected 46.2 million homes in the US and 44.9 million in Europe will be classed as smart homes. By 2022 there could be nearly 500 smart devices that can be connected to a smart home.

• [New] Located 81 kilometers off the Polish coast, Baltyk 1 will consist of up to 104 turbines and could supply renewable electricity to as many as two million households. TGS 4C | 4c Offshore
• [New] New Street expects there to be 139 million Internet households in 2030, up from 133 million at the end of 2025. Light Reading
• [New] Solar Homes Program - Hot water rebates $29.7m in 2025-26 to extend the Solar Victoria hot water rebate program, which provides eligible households with rebates to install energy efficient electric heat pumps and solar hot water systems. A deep dive on the 2025 Victorian Budget | VCOSS
• [New] While the 2025-26 Budget papers show more than 2,000 new homes will be added next financial year, there is no ongoing pipeline. / Australia A deep dive on the 2025 Victorian Budget | VCOSS
• [New] The real estate sector, including homebuilders like D.R. Horton and Lennar, could experience a boost as lower mortgage rates stimulate housing demand. The Chronicle-Journal
• [New] Home health aides and personal care workers are among the fastest-growing occupations, with more than one million new job openings projected by 2029. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] In 2025 and moving into 2026, smart plant watering systems have emerged as the pivotal innovation driving advancements in agriculture and home gardening alike. Farmonaut
• [New] The Northern Ireland Executive will be supported to develop comparable household energy bill support, should it choose to do so. GOV.UK
• [New] England alone has enough brownfield land for 1.4 million homes and rooftops could generate more than 60% of the UK's solar energy target. FM Industry
• [New] About 12% of the U.S. housing stock is in high-risk areas, and that share is expected to increase to 20% by 2050. RealEstateNews.com
• [New] A significant chunk of the U.S. housing stock actually faces severe or extreme climate risk, ranging from more than 6% for flooding, 18% for wind risk, and 6% for wildfire. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Hard ceilings will give cantons, employers and housing markets clearer visibility earlier in the year, easing pressure on public services after net migration hit a 17-year high in 2025. VisaHQ
• [New] Given the projected increases in the number of people living with dementia, and the level of care required, the number of hours provided by family and friends could reach almost 1.4 billion hours annually by 2050. Alzheimer Society of Canada
• [New] For every person in Canada who has dementia, a family member or friend will spend an average of 26 hours a week caring for them. Alzheimer Society of Canada

Last updated: 06 December 2025