“The real estate industry is rapidly evolving to address growing consumer demand for wellness-centered spaces and the challenges of a changing world,” announces the Wellness Communities and Real Estate Initiative of the Global Wellness Institute. This leading research resource for policymakers, analysts and writers on the international wellness industry recently released its 2025 report on that sector with some fascinating new concepts.
Trend 1: Brain-Friendly Buildings
There are increasing areas of science focusing on the relationship between our environments and our brain health – a specialization referred to as neuroscience. Applying that to built spaces is a specialization of its own. “Neuro-architecture integrates features like biophilic design, circadian lighting, attention to acoustics, and sensory elements to optimize human health.”
This is an area that GWI identifies as particularly appealing to residential developers and their design teams to promote longevity and healthy aging. They are also areas I’ve been sharing with Forbes.com readers in my own wellness design coverage these past seven years.
Citing Terrapin Bright Green’s “The Economics of Biophilia,” along with two Arch Daily articles, “The Science of Design: How Neuroscience Can Help Architects Shape the Built Environment,” and “How Your Brain Responds to Different Spaces,” the report suggests ample benefits to residents including biophilic design and optimized lighting increasing cognitive performance, reducing stress, and improving emotional well-being. It also notes that with dementia rates doubling every five years after age 65, neuroscience-driven environments can potentially support cognitive health and improve longevity.
Trend 2: The Rise of AI-Integrated Wellness Ecosystems
“By integrating AI, IoT, and wellness design, homes can actively learn and adapt to occupants’ needs—monitoring air quality, sleep patterns, the freshness of food in the refrigerator, and energy consumption while suggesting personalized health improvements,” the report offers. It observes that this potential extends beyond the individual residences to the community with shared wellness amenities like fitness classes, garden spaces and mental health resources.
GWI anticipates AI-powered homes and connected communities enhancing health outcomes for residents and potentially reduced operational costs (through improved energy and water efficiency, for example). There are also possible higher valuations through the appeal of these property features. Developers and owners will need to consider affordability and, crucially, the ethics related to health data collection and usage.
Trend 3: Live, Work, Zen
People want to spend more time with their families and hobbies, rather than commuting to distant workplaces, driving the popularity of mixed use developments. GWI describes them as “evolving into wellness hubs, where residential, commercial, and recreational spaces are seamlessly integrated.”
“These hubs prioritize wellness infrastructure like walkability, green spaces, social connections, healthy food access, fitness centers, micro-mobility, and access to healthcare, creating environments designed to promote holistic well-being,” the report describes, adding that “integrated and intentional projects promote long-term health and sustainability while meeting the demand for vibrant, connected spaces that offer convenience and a higher quality of life.”
This has been shown repeatedly in recent studies by the National Association of Realtors and others. In a February 7, 2025 post for eppraisal, Marc Allen wrote, “The ability to access essential amenities on foot—such as grocery stores, schools, parks, restaurants, and public transportation—can significantly influence a home’s desirability and price. In today’s market, many buyers are willing to pay a premium for homes located in highly walkable neighborhoods.”
The GWI team agrees, positing that these wellness hubs support sustainability and healthy living, foster active lifestyles through car-free commuting, and improve overall well-being.
Trend 4: Redefining Real Estate for Resilience
You can’t miss the impacts of a changing climate on real estate, GWI asserts. “A climate-focused and wellness-centered approach integrates adaptive change to existing sites, renewable energy, green infrastructure, and regenerative practices in new sites to create long-term, sustainable solutions.” This calls for balancing innovation with respect for natural elements and harmonizing projects with local conditions. “These efforts ensure livability and resilience in the face of a changing climate,” it proposes.
An excellent example of this is the community of Babcock Ranch in Southwest Florida. Developed inland from the coast after 2004’s Hurricane Charley flattened the area, it included numerous design and sustainability features that insulated its residents from 2022’s devastating Hurricane Ian. Unlike many of the other communities in the area, Babcock didn’t lose power or experience flooding. What it did experience after its proven resilience was a flood of interest from prospective home buyers.
The GWI team asks these key resilience questions: How can existing homes be made more climate resilient against intensifying hurricanes and wildfires? When is it more responsible not to build in vulnerable areas? And what metrics can be used to measure climate resilience in real estate?
Trend 5: Homes for the AI-Native Generation
Gen Z are starting to buy homes as they age into their late 20s. The next generation will be Gen Alpha, teens and 20-somethings born between 2010 and 2024. GWI describes these future homebuyers as the “first fully AI-native generation and one facing more significant housing affordability challenges than previous generations. This demographic will demand homes that maximize space and functionality and seamlessly integrate work, learning, and leisure under one roof.”
The report predicts that “their ‘phygital’ lifestyle will demand their homes blend the best physical and digital experiences to align with their needs and lifestyles prioritizing mental and physical wellness.” They will be seeking hybrid spaces, rather than single purpose rooms, that can adapt to their needs and wellness-focused tech integrations, it further notes. Their likely preferences will impact housing trends for decades, the study says. “Futureproofing” for Gen Alpha will entail modular, tech-forward homes that ensure adaptability. Wellness-focused homes will attract premium buyers, but affordability will be a challenge for this emerging generation. A key question is how existing housing stock can evolve to meet future demands.
Trend 6: The Convergence of Placekeeping and Placemaking
There’s an excellent chance that these terms are new to you, but they’re increasingly important. “Regionally responsive architecture that connects people to their existing places, communities, and cultures is critical to honoring a location’s uniqueness and pride,” the report explains. Ignoring this connection has driven much of the homogenization and gentrification we’ve seen across the countries.
Placekeeping preserves the culture, history and feel – or vibe, if you prefer – of existing neighborhoods. When creating new communities, “Placemaking respects existing characteristics, cultures and social connections” of the area, the report observes. Even more important, it “involves collaborative design with, not for, stakeholders. This approach results in more resilient, socially connected, and authentic places where people can thrive.”
This was a trend that showed up on the American Society of Interior Designers’ latest survey too. Washington, DC-based designer Kia Weatherspoon shared her placemaking perspective in an article I wrote for Multi-Housing News, a trade magazine for the multifamily industry: “They signal to residents that the spaces are for them, that their history and culture are not only seen but valued.” After all, doesn’t everyone deserve to feel that way in their homes? A key question for the developers who shape our space is how they will finance and achieve that.
Read the full article here
