BSEE SMART BUILDINGS
Marie Parry, Scolmore Group Marketing Director, looks at the growing home automation market, what is driving growth and the opportunities for contractors.
automation products as a rapidly growing sector that has benefited from the spread of wireless and app based technologies. The market is currently considered to be in the initial growth stage, supported by a near tripling in growth 2012-2016 which is currently forecast to continue into the medium-term, with market value forecast to nearly double by 2021. Medium-term prospects for home automation remain positive. Recent growth of intelligent heating controls is likely to continue into the medium-term, with rapid innovation likely to be the key driver.
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Although home automation or smart home systems have been available in the UK for many years, it is in recent years that they have expanded from an upper market niche of luxury homes and specialist projects into a more mainstream market.
uThe smart home is becoming accessible to us all, says Scolmore.
This crossover to the mainstream is a key development that is changing the structure of the market with a large variety of entry level and lower cost home automation products having been made available at very competitive prices in the past 2-3 years, plus greater awareness among consumers of system benefits. The growth of home automation continues to be driven by the rapid advance in technology which is bringing intelligent automation systems to a growing number of homes and work places, allowing control of everything from lighting to communications and entertainment. No longer the preserve of the rich and famous, the smart home is becoming accessible to us all and consumers are looking to the technology as a means of enhancing their lives. They are looking at
he latest market report from AMA Research on Home Automation – ‘Home Automation Market Report – UK 2017-2021’ describes the market for home
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WHAT’S DRIVING HOME AUTOMATION? Growing market for specifiers and installers
how they can add security and energy- saving features to their properties, whilst at the same time bringing a bit of luxury with automatic control.
By intelligent controlling of the lighting and heating throughout a home, it is possible to make significant cost and energy savings. For instance, central heating systems, rather than heating the whole house, can be split into different zones so that rooms or areas are warmed as and when they are required. In the same way lighting systems can be controlled so that the right light output is delivered when and where it is needed.
Technological advances driving the home automation market include the progress of wireless controls and ‘app’ or application programme-driven control interfaces, which emphasise user- friendliness. Remote control of the system has meant that the consumer is increasingly able to control all aspects of the connected home from within the home, whilst travelling, at work or even abroad, via smartphones, tablets and PCs. Take up of wireless routers/internet has also benefited the home automation market, with increasing numbers of suppliers offering wireless systems based around the home Wi-Fi network. Growth of wireless systems has also resulted in lower installation costs and less complexity of the installation. The offering of modular systems which enable future expansion has also driven growth. Security is another important area of concern for consumers. Greater interest and purchase of home security systems and devices has been encouraged by the wider availability of smartphone app controlled devices that are now more affordable and enable greater monitoring and control of security devices – access, CCTV, motion and smoke, water detectors and other devices.
CCTV cameras and alarm systems can now be easily programmed and connected to a smartphone or tablet,
with alerts sent to a device if there is an issue, allowing access and viewing of the cameras positioned at the premises, from any location using Wi-Fi or 4G connection.
Door entry systems are also benefiting from the latest technology. Wi-Fi door stations for example, allow you to view and talk to visitors at your home whether you are on the premises or on the other side of the world. From a smart phone or tablet and using an app, property owners can easily see who is at the door or gate, engage in two-way communication and allow remote access if desired. Whilst the evolution of smart home automation will bring significant business opportunities for switched-on electrical contractors, there is reluctance on the part of some installers to fully embrace this new technology as it is deemed too complicated to install and they are therefore unwilling to upsell to customers. Homeowners may be concerned that they have to go with a system that will require them to cut into plastered walls for cabling. This isn’t always the case. By explaining how they can start small and simple, and build up to a more complicated system if required, contractors can reassure people and showcase a range of solutions suitable for different budgets and applications. The largest sector for home automation is now retro-fit, where wireless security and energy-saving features can be added to a home without having to alter the wiring or disrupt the décor. At Scolmore we have stripped our home automation offer right back to basics to offer a simple system that has at its core accessibility and simplicity, both for the installer and the end user.
The advance in smart technology will continue to affect the way products are specified, installed and commissioned and maintained. Ultimately this is good news as it puts electrical contractors in a prime position to diversity their offerings and add further revenue streams to their business.
www.scolmore.com 30 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER SEPTEMBER 2017
uScolmore’s Click Smart Box and App can be easily integrated into a new or existing Click Smart installation and just requires broadband connection. Simply plug the Click Smart Box into the broadband router via an Ethernet port and plug into the socket power outlet, and then download the Click Smart App.
‘
No longer the
preserve of the rich and famous, the smart home is becoming accessible to us all and consumers are looking to the technology as a means of
enhancing their lives. They are looking at how they can add security and energy‐saving features to their properties, whilst at the same time bringing a bit of luxury with automatic control.
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www.bsee.co.uk
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