News

New CEDIA Initiative Builds on Recent Success (27/7/2006)

CEDIA has announced its commitment to a major research initiatives in the home electronics sector as CEDIA Zone 1 membership stands at over 420, and the market itself continues to expand across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The organisation is investing in the Osborne House project with the BRE (Building Research Establishment).

This announcement follows the largest CEDIA Expo ever and CEDIA's successful participation in the recent Grand Designs Live event held at ExCeL London. Here, thousands of homeowners flocked to one of the event's central attractions, the CEDIA "House of the Future, Today" feature, designed, assembled, integrated and managed by CEDIA members.

CEDIA is joining with the BRE as a sponsor on the Osborne Demonstration House project. Located at the BRE's Garston site, the project is designed to raise awareness of modern sustainable methods of construction and smart home solutions amongst house builders, architects and specifiers. CEDIA members are contributing design and installation services on the house, and trade supplier members are supplying products for the property. The house is being opened through a sequence of launch events starting in July.

"The Osborne House is anticipated to achieve for smart housing in the first decade of the 21st Century what the BRE's earlier generation Integer House did in the last decade of the 20th Century" says Robin Courteney, CEDIA Marketing Chair. "It also marries the smart home concept with issues of sustainability, which is an area of consumer interest that CEDIA members will increasingly have to address in the future. Like the Integer House, Osborne House is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors. As such, it is extremely important that CEDIA and CEDIA members are major participants".

From the time of completion in July this year, the Osborne House will form a standing exhibit, remaining in place for a minimum of two years. It will act as a key exhibit for industry acknowledged exhibitions and conferences to be run at BRE during the two year period.

www.bre.co.uk
www.cedia.co.uk