It's true that two qualities, light and sensibly durable, are hard to find in the same wheels these days. Someone gave me a lightweight set of wheels, 20 spokes in front and 24 in rear. I replaced the front with a wheel that has a dynamo hub and 32 spokes, offered to me used at a good price. The 24 spoke rear wheel seems wrong for commuting, but I figured I'd ride it until it causes problems. It's been about two years, and I don't think I've even had to true the rear wheel once. The bike has a front rack where I sometimes carry panniers. The only thing I put on the rear is a tool bag hanging from my saddle, so other than the fact that a normal bike puts 60% or more of the rider's weight on the rear, I'm not stressing the rear much. I weigh 170 lbs. This is my commuter bike.

I have a racing bike I ride less often. I built the wheels myself with the lightest rims I could find that accept 32 spokes.

Since you're lighter than I am, you might be happy with 24 spoke wheels, though I agree that they seem like a dumb idea. The weight and air drag savings isn't that big a deal, especially for commuting. But if it works, it works.