The Growth of the Smart Home

Ask when smart home technology first started and you’ll find dates that keep going back further and further in time. However, the technology in the 1960s through the 1980s obviously differs drastically from what we think of today. The American Association of House Builders adopted the term “smart house” in 1984, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that smarthome technology became something that regular people would start to consider in their  custom homes in Ponte Vedra Beach FL. Even by the time we built the HGTV SmartHome in 2013, it was still a new and exciting concept for most people.

Our SmartHome was a leap forward in integrating more than just security measures, which were the most common smart home technology features in the early years. We started adding in technology that would make the home more comfortable, convenient and efficient, as well as more secure. Windows, insulation, bath fixtures, a/c units, water heater systems, and entertainment systems were some of the features in the HGTV SmartHome that made use of the latest in smart home technology. People came from around the world to see the home and buyers started asking about how they could include this technology in their own homes. We became known for our Coastal, Custom, Connected homes.

Today, we’ve incorporated a great deal of the smarthome technology into all of our homes as part of the basic package. From security to temperature controls to appliances working together, the technology continues to grow and expand. As a result, we do our best to stay up to date on the latest developments. We work carefully to choose technology that is likely to be useful for a number of years or that can be updated as easily as you update apps on your phone. We don’t want the technology we use to quickly become out of date, leaving our customers with useless technology. That’s one of the biggest challenges when building a home.

Fortunately, today’s technology doesn’t require extensive wiring as in the early days. In fact, it can even be transferred to a new home in some cases, as much of it is dependent solely on an internet connection. Nowadays, the virtual assistants – like Apple’s Siri, and Amazon’s Alexa – work so that you can give a command without even having to use a physical control to achieve what you want. You also don’t even need to be home, as many systems, including air and heat, can be controlled with an app. This is part of the financial benefit of using smarthome technology. Ultimately, your home becomes more efficient at heating, cooling, lighting, entertaining and protecting as needed.

In the future, you’re likely to see more cross-platform support and new ways to interact with appliances and more. It may also be quieter. While voice commands are likely to remain for some time, there will eventually be more gesture commands as options. Potentially, with the use of artificial intelligence, your home may even be able to predict your requests, such as turning on the AC or heat at a certain point before you get home, and it may also help protect you even more with a better sense of potential threats.

Ultimately, the goal is to make the use of smarthome technology more seamless and customizable to meet buyers’ personal needs. This is why we have chosen certain smarthome technological features as part of our basic package when building custom homes in Ponte Vedra Beach FL because we know what features people want most in their homes these days. As technology grows and continues to improve, we will continue to evaluate the options and ensure our customers can have the technology they want and need for their coastal, custom, connected homes.

Categorized in: Featured Home, HGTV Smart Home, New Home Tips, The Growth of the Smart Home

This post was written by Glenn Layton Homes