Hot Tech for New Homes

As the homebuilding market begins to heat up, with more new homebuyers, and as prices fall across many connected-device categories, the smart home is quickly becoming a common selling feature for many new homebuilders. But which areas are generating the most interest?

While smart homes have yet to reach their potential in terms of market penetration, many components of a smart home, such as energy-management devices and solutions, connected TVs, and connected security systems, are gaining traction fast.

A new survey from the CEA (Consumer Electronics Assn.), http://www.ce.org, Arlington, Va., suggests last year was a good one in terms of growth for smart-home devices and solutions. According to CEA, almost all home-technology installations in new homes either increased or held constant throughout 2013.

The association’s 12th Annual State of the Builder Technology Market Study suggests monitored security and home theaters were two of the most common installments in new builds. Two other areas that saw increases from 2012-‘13 were energy management and home automation.

CEA says the increase in built-in home technologies will continue to parallel the housing market’s recovery. In fact, the association expects the market for built-in home technologies to reach $2.3 billion in revenue this year. Builders seem to be on board, with 63% reporting home technologies are more important to their marketing efforts than they were two years ago.

In general, the study confirms the demand for connected-home technologies and solutions in the United States is established and poised for growth. As more builders see built-in technology solutions as a means to gain a leg up on the competition, more new homes will come equipped to support a connected life.