How smart is your home?

Interest in smart technology for the home includes: 

 

Many homeowners want a more complete approach which integrates all the different technologies. This means installers will need a much broader understanding of many different types of home technology. Keeping pace with rapid evolution in the sector will become an increasing challenge. From in-home devices to renewable energy, there’s a lot to understand. 

 

Smart devices such as voice-activated assistants, lighting and heating controls help to save time, energy, and money. The idea of controlling your environment using simple voice commands and smartphone apps is appealing. As well as convenience, technology helps you adapt your home to suit your lifestyle. With the addition of artificial intelligence (AI) your home can learn your preferences and anticipate your needs. There are a lot of smart home options to choose from. 

 

Plugs. Smart plugs allow you to control electrical appliances remotely. You can schedule when they turn on and off and monitor energy use. They’re easy to install, making them a good first step into the smart home world. 

 

Heating. Smart controls for heating systems and thermostats help manage the comfort of your home. You can automate heating schedules, control heating remotely, and monitor energy use. You can even set up different heating zones in your home. 

 

Lighting. You can save energy and make the most of all your spaces with smart lighting solutions. These can include light level sensors, timers, automatic dimmers and motion sensors. 

 

Security. You can control and monitor cameras, sensors and motion detectors from an app on your smartphone. Security lights can turn on automatically when they detect movement at your property. To deter intruders you can also turn on outside lights remotely or use timers. 

 

Despite the convenience, some homeowners aren’t yet convinced. Their reservations include: 

 

Privacy. In the drive towards intelligent systems, smart devices continuously collect and transmit data. There are understandable concerns about data access and use. Data breaches and unauthorised access could slow down uptake. 

 

Complexity. Users may become frustrated when they must download and set up multiple apps on their smartphones to control their smart devices. It can all become very complex when different devices aren’t compatible. Standardisation and connectivity seem essential to maintain the popularity of the smart home. 

 

Costs. There’s no doubt there are very affordable smart devices, but other options are expensive to buy and install. The industry needs to justify the expense with education and examples of how the technology can pay for itself.