Home Automation Making a Comeback

Home automation is back on the upswing, and builders could be the direct beneficiaries of the rebound. Consumers are rapidly embracing connected devices and technologies across multiple aspects of their personal lives, including their cars and even their workout routines. So it is only natural that they are becoming more inclined to want such technologies in a familiar place in their lives--their homes.
With the release of its annual State of the Builder Technology Market Study, CEA (Consumer Electronics Assn.), www.ce.org, Arlington, Va., uncovered some interesting results related to home technology. According to the results of the 10th annual study, installed home technology is strongly solidified in builders’ portfolios of services and offerings, with things like entertainment and automation solutions allowing builders to differentiate their businesses.

"This year's study confirms CEA's long-held belief and prediction that home technology would make a positive contribution to the inevitable housing market recovery as home buyers' digital lifestyles and desires for energy efficiency factor into purchasing decisions," says Steve Koenig, director of industry analysis, CEA. "For example, home automation and lighting controls tap into buyers' rising concerns regarding energy costs, while a focus on home theater and multi-room audio demonstrate that builders can meet the growing homeowners' demands to access entertainment anywhere in the home."
Part of the appeal to home automation includes the ability to offer homeowners an automated way to manage energy consumption. So it comes as little surprise that energy-management solutions, such as automated lighting controls, reached an all-time high with 12% installation in new homes.
Also high on the list are technology features focused on entertainment. Tried-and-true options like multi-room audio (23%) and home theater (29%) showed strong rebounds in number of installations. Both categories had been down in recent years, according to CEA.
Of course, the "consumerization" of technology, as some like to call it, has contributed to a renewed interest in home technologies. As devices like smartphones and tablets continue to permeate the mainstream, and service providers and automation companies rollout home-automation services that leverage the functionality of such devices, it is only natural to find the connection between the two. In other words, homeowners seem to be more willing than ever to embrace the idea of a connected home due to the fact they use similar type technology on a daily basis in other aspects of their lives.

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