Each January, the National Multifamily Housing Council’s annual meeting offers leaders in the sector the opportunity to connect, share best practices and hear from thought leaders regarding what’s on the horizon for the apartment market. This year featured many compelling sessions touching on the all-important focus on technology, AI and data, but the undercurrent that carried throughout the tech talk was this: Ultimately, the multifamily industry is and will always be about people.
We at Baker Barrios couldn’t agree more.
While reliance on technology and artificial intelligence to achieve more “people first” designs might seem like an oxymoron, the data provided by these increasingly sophisticated tools can very much improve lifestyle features and design elements of multifamily housing.
Brad Lutz, managing principal, Chicago office of Baker Barrios.
“The art challenges the technology, and the technology inspires the art.”
Although this quote from Pixar’s chief creative officer John Lasseter is about making animated films, it certainly applies to the multifamily industry, too. Tech advancements are developed to provide solutions for the needs of multifamily designers, builders, owners and managers while, at the same time, our designs and operations are completely influenced by the technology available now and in the future.
Some raise concerns that all this reliance on technology has come at the expense of actual people and human interaction, but when leveraged in the right way, these tools and the data they provide can be used to create a more personal experience for residents and building staff alike. Here’s how:
Give the people what they want. Even before they know they want it.
While tracking resident usage of amenity spaces, etc. using tech is nothing new, we now can take it a step further and use that information to not just know what residents are doing now but predict what they will do in the future. And, of course, design or adapt properties accordingly.
By examining resident behavior patterns over time, AI tools can suggest what they may seek in the future. For example, if AI identifies a trend in decreased usage of a community demo kitchen or party room, but steady usage of co-working space, it would make sense to convert the under-utilized space into co-working.
Or perhaps a property includes a studio space for yoga separate from the main fitness center, and AI picks up on the fact it’s always booked on weekends but rarely during the week. It would be advantageous to have a flex option for that space to make it something residents would use during the week, like a conference room. The key is how much more quickly AI would pick up on this trend, allowing developers to be ahead of the curve. And having space designed from the beginning to be adaptable will make these shifts all the easier and more cost-effective.
AI can also interpret settings for lights, heating and cooling, and adjust accordingly, creating a more comfortable environment for your residents while also saving money on utility costs by not wasting energy.
Our team at BBA and other colleagues in our industry are taking this data a step further when working with clients to design multifamily properties, using data and information gathered from operating properties to reconfigure amenity offerings, adjust common spaces and tweak floorplan designs.
Create the seamless experiences renters already know they want.
In 2024, apartments.com listed numerous tech-focused and AI-powered amenities as new trends to watch in apartment living. By 2025, they’ve become some of the most highly sought after features for residents, and buildings that are designed to accommodate them will certainly have an advantage in attracting and retaining residents, as well as being better equipped to adapt to future advancements.
Charging for electric vehicles, keyless entry and access, smart home features and appliances and automated package systems are among the features residents rank high, all of which require integrated tech as part of the building’s design.
Additionally, high-speed internet and excellent cell signals are a must, especially with many people still working at least partially from home. Co-working spaces are a top amenity, but that doesn’t just mean desks and conference tables. Residents expect the same level of connectivity in their work-from-home space as they would in their corporate office, and if your building wasn’t designed with the infrastructure to support that, your co-working space won’t be of value to your renters.
Free up onsite management for more person-to-person connections.
Residents appreciate the convenience of apps allowing rent payment, maintenance requests, amenity reservations and building updates – and staff love the increased efficiency of these streamlined services, allowing more time for connecting on a personal level with their renters or tending to tasks that require hands-on attention. That increased time spent caring for residents as well as the property translates into stronger overall community connection, which, no matter how tech-reliant we become, still ranks high for residents, staff and owners.
It’s an exciting time in our industry, and the advancements in software to improve design, operations, efficiency and communications are something to embrace. But, as with any tool, it’s only as good as the person using it. That’s why no matter how automated things become, multifamily housing is still and will always be about people.
You can learn more about the National Multifamily Housing Council at nmhc.org and, if you’re a member, find a recap of the January annual meeting here.
Brad Lutz is managing principal of the Chicago office of architecture firm Baker Barrios. He is also multifamily/residential practice leader for the firm.
