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March 17, 2008

Will home automation be part of the solution?

A study just released by ABI Research says that the market for home automation and security systems is beginning to open up. Costs of systems and components are coming down, and the technologies are becoming much more accessible to the non-techie. Are we going to see advances in energy efficiency due to the control such systems may have over the HVAC, lighting, and other electric loads? Or, will it be adding electrical consumption to the house where there currently isn't?

I expect both to be true for a while. At the Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show this past weekend, I didn't run across any companies that did much in home automation or integration. I talked to one company that specializes in security systems, but does some home sound and theater work. This isn't a big market for new technologies nor perceived expensive technologies, unlike some other markets here in the States. I think there is a lot of potential for integrating all of the various home technology systems to provide energy savings at the same time as offering enhanced experience and comfort in the home. As these systems become cheaper and offer more benefits, greater market penetration will undoubtedly advance the technology and provide more and more integration and utility. We can hope this will also bring lower energy use and bills...

You can read more about the study from Tekrati.

Posted by Eric Helton at March 17, 2008 11:55 AM

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