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Industry Opinion: Home Automation - Trends and Developments (6/8/2007)

By Yasmin Hashmi, HiddenWires

The number of home automation system manufacturers is increasing, and if they have anything to do with it, home automation will no longer be the preserve of the wealthy technophile. The technology is heading for the mainstream, and the focus is now on how it can benefit the lifestyle of the masses, developers' profit margins, and even the environment. In order to get a good feel for how the home automation market is progressing, we asked a number of leading suppliers what the current trends are, and what developments they expect to see over the coming months.

Christopher J. Dahl, CEO, Adapt Control Solutions

Demand for home automation systems is clearly growing. People are discovering that they can have an improved lifestyle with less stress and worry by automating and simplifying different routines in the home, such as switching the lights, heating, AC, gas fireplace, and garden irrigation system to on/off or to presets at certain hours. In addition, music can be heard throughout the house and yet be controlled by the same handheld remote or wall panel as all other controllable functions.

People like the idea of an automation system allowing them to see who is at the door and to open it from anywhere wirelessly. Indeed all the above functions may be controlled from anywhere over the Internet and via WAP on a mobile phone. Simultaneously, the property may be watched via surveillance cameras over the same GUI, actions may be taken and presets can make sure videos are saved at in-house and centrally-located DVRs.

Another advantage of automation is energy efficiency. By gauging the energy usage, certain routines may be set to happen automatically at hours when general energy usage is low, i.e. water the garden or heat the pool. There are no real limitations to what can be controlled or how you want to mix controllable functions in macros and on timers. Today, everything is possible, and we see that more and more people all over Europe are becoming aware of this. Therefore developers and people on average income levels - not just the wealthy housebuilder - are now entering this market at different levels. Some want a full package from day one, others want to invest in a base system combined with structured wiring, and upgrade step-by-step. At Adapt, we believe that within a few years, installing various degrees of home automation will be as commonplace as installing a kitchen.

Kevin Sheldrake, Business Development Manager, Fieldbus, Carlo Gavazzi UK Limited

The demand for automation control is no longer confined to the industrial market. We have experienced significant growth in the home automation sector, and the signs are that this will continue to increase. Traditionally, the driving force has always been lighting control, but recently, enquiries on how to save energy have been on the increase - in particular, a way to switch devices off that would otherwise be left on standby. Indeed, optimising heating in each room using sophisticated control loops normally found in commercial applications, provides another cost benefit to the home automation owner.

Automation beyond the boundaries of the four walls of the house is now being realised with gate control, irrigation systems and pathway lighting. All of these features can now be integrated with the main part of the system to provide an easy-to-use, flexible and economical solution that can be monitored and controlled whilst absent from the home, using a mobile phone or the Internet.

Yolanda Hartshorne, Export Manager, Ingenium

Global warming is, without a doubt, something we need to address, and soon. Government policies both in the UK and Spain are strong on energy-saving schemes and sustainable buildings following EU directives. New smart home technologies and sustainable building designs should come together under one umbrella. Home automation controls can contribute to energy savings and therefore carbon emissions in any home. So, the fact that automation can help reduce global warming, however slight, will inevitably help grow the smart home system market.

I would also hope that the potential such technology has for benefitting the house-bound and disabled is recognised. Smart home systems, with their remote access and cameras, can give people back a lot of their confidence, independence and dignity.

Tony Leedham, Managing Director, Aventure Europe

The trend still seems to be that too much emphasis is placed upon technology and how it can solve the problem. The reality is that the consumer does not, and should not, care too much about the technology. If their relationship with the supplier is strong, then the solution provided is the key. Obviously, value and functionality play a part, but the overall solution and lifestyle change brought about is what is actually being sold.

As close partners to some of the most well-known automation systems, we see ahead of time where development resources are being spent. Next year we will see trends towards value-for-money solutions. This will continue with more user interface development, and reduced costs in certain areas, especially in hidden technology.

Petra Van Meeuwen, Marketing Manager, Crestron UK Ltd

When I joined Crestron seven years ago, I initially thought the world of custom install and home automation would be incredibly technical and all product development and marketing would be technology-led. However, the reverse is true, and I see this trend continuing.

Custom installers are selling to the whole family now, not just the traditional technophiles - and the ability to control all elements of a home automation system from a simple-to-use and easy-to-operate device, which appeals to the busy housewife, music-loving teenager as well as the hi-tech father, will continue to revolutionise the market.

In particular, out-of-the-box functionality together with total integration are two themes we see behind products coming to the market, and increased demand for HD content and control over IP will continue to be at the forefront of product development.

John Guyatt, Managing Director, H2M8

It is very clear that IP-based backbones will become the technology of choice in the home automation market as it has in commercial and industrial building management systems. The growing adoption of IP interfaces on AV equipment, as well as normal consumer appliances, helps to support this global trend. At the same time, the cost of touchscreens is dropping fast and driving the popularity of this form of user interface into all kinds of applications. Touchscreens with IP connectivity are driving the next trend, where browser-based interfaces are beginning to offer similar functionality and 'bling' for user interfaces at significantly less cost and deployment time, but with a much further reach across a range of equipment and systems.

Eugene Luskin, CEO, Lagotek

If the pattern in the US is anything to go by, we will see the increasing convergence between audio/video control and whole home control. In addition, home appliances will start to join the whole home control infrastructure. Our vision of mass-market home automation is being brought ever closer by the trend towards multiple new community builds having home automation preinstalled, and by home automation solutions starting to focus on delivering energy savings.

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