(From left): S P Setia divisional general manager Koh Sooi Meng, executive vice-president Datuk Tan Hon Lim and deputy general manager Lee Mei Foong at the launch of Setia i-Home on July 5.

KAJANG (July 5): S P Setia Bhd officially launched Setia i-Home, its new initiative to implement sustainable features in their future landed residential developments.

During the media launch of Setia i-Home on Wednesday (July 5) at Setia Alamsari Welcome Centre in Kajang, S P Setia's executive vice-president Datuk Tan Hon Lim said, "At S P Setia, our commitment has always been to create sustainable communities that enrich lifestyles. With Setia i-Home, we are taking yet another stride towards realising our newly minted vision."

The developer's Setia i-Home will come with features such as a smart home system, green switch, smart door lock, electric vehicle (EV) port, Box 366 post box, and rainwater harvesting system. In addition, the homes will also be solar panel switch-ready and will feature appliances from brands like Panasonic to improve air quality within the homes, the statement added.

Tan added that Setia i-Home units will be constructed with industrialised building system to enable faster and more efficient construction while minimising waste. "This innovative approach not only ensures top-quality homes but also reduces our environmental impact."

The first project to incorporate Setia i-Home features is its RM77.2 million in gross development value Candella development, featuring 88 units of double-storey linked semidees in its Setia Alamsari township. Homes in Candella, which was launched on May 6 this year, comes with built-up areas ranging from 1,961 to 1,999 sq ft and are priced ranging from RM947,000 to RM1.149 million.

According to Tan, the smart home system would allow homebuyers to effortlessly control various aspects of their home through a mobile application, the green switch would automatically power off non-essential electrical points in the home to reduce electricity consumption, the smart door lock would allow homebuyers to unlock the door using their thumprint, mobile phone, passcode or physical key, and the Box 366 post box to cater to the demands of online shopping and food deliveries.

During the press conference, Tan explained that there are different Setia i-Home packages depending on the property price range. "Properties priced below RM750,000 would come with green feature worth at least RM5,000; properties priced between RM750,000 and RM1.5 million will come with green features ranging from RM10,000 to RM15,000; and properties priced at RM1.5 million and above will have green features worth RM20,000 to RM25,000."

"We will still explore additional green features that we can enhance, as our technical excellence committee is continuously focused in this area. We believe that we should not stop there, and we should try hard to implement more green features in our homes,” Tan said.

He added that the company is in talks with banks to enable easier home loan approvals for Setia i-Home purchasers, and is working with suppliers for lower material costs to make the homes more affordable.