In recent years, the smart home market has seen consistent growth, with consumer demand for connected systems and services increasing by the day.
Entry-level DIY solutions, such as, Amazon Echo and Phillips Hue have become mainstream for the consumer. In fact, there are now 15 million ‘smart homes’ in Britain with 57% of the country’s homes now having a smart device to control lights, security, kettle, vacuum cleaner or other devices (British Home Enhancement Trade Association).
This growth has created much greater awareness for smart home technologies and rising expectation from buyers that new homes can easily facilitate their tech-driven lifestyle. For prime property developers, the surge in home technology adoption presents an opportunity to differentiate and add value to their own schemes with a professionally designed and installed smart technology system offering numerous advantages over DIY devices and solutions.
In defining this aspect of the brief for a scheme, developers should ask themselves: what is the right technology infrastructure that should be in place to meet the expectations of my target buyer? To answer that question, it’s important to look at how consumer expectations – and the technology to meet them - are continuing to evolve.
Dedicated home cinema rooms have been big business during the pandemic and the design and installation work for these spaces in new properties is increasing. In particular, at Aonyx, we are building more and more private cinema rooms in hi-end developments to offer a communal space, available only to residents.
Aonyx was recently appointed to design, install, commission, and maintain two private cinema rooms, as well as the audio visual, security, network, F-IRS, door entry and access control system for the exclusive Kings Road Park development, a luxurious new London development offering a stunning range of suites, apartments, and penthouses. The cinemas feature a Dolby Atmos loudspeaker array to provide the highest levels of audio performance for the space. A 4K Projection system provides the visuals, all fully integrated via a Control4 system incorporating lighting, networking, power distribution, climate, and security integration. Control4provides seamless and convenient control for residents in the cinemas, and throughout the building, via wall mounted and tabletop touch screens, universal remotes, and an iPad app.
We are seeing more of these cinema spaces also doubling up as party or nightclub venues, when needed. It’s a versatility of thinking that can be applied to other areas of the home thanks to professionally designed and installed technology. For example, more and more homebuyers are choosing living areas that are flexible, multi-media and multi-functional. There has been a significant expansion in the trend for technologies to facilitate working from home, allowing secure, high quality video conferencing as well as providing a place to relax and watch TV or play games. We are working with a growing number of developers on this type of project to deliver robust and secure hi-speed, internet-enabled, Wi-Fi connected prime residences that can serve as multi-purpose media spaces, complete with the high-quality audio, video and band-width performance to match.
Smart, easily controllable lighting is fast becoming an integral part of the prime residence too. Lighting control provides greater energy efficiency using automated dimming technology and location awareness. If integrated into the wider home automation system, lighting controls can bring other elements of the property together for ease of use, as well as improved security, and can even be extended to help with wellness and comfort. This type of human-centric lighting control matches the intensity and colour temperature of lighting in the home to the natural daylight outside, to better support our circadian rhythm.
There is also a service element that can be included with integrated technology, and this is a real selling point for potential buyers. We were recently commissioned to deliver a high spec AV and home automation solution for an ultra-prime high rise apartment building on the South Bank of The River Thames. The scope of works was comprehensive for each apartment, with smart lighting, shading, climate control, door entry and the added convenience of concierge communications. Residents can use their smart home touch screen, smart phone or tablet to communicate directly with the building’s concierge at anytime via the apartment’s Control4 user interface.
We’ve also seen a growth in the cabling for new homes that enables outdoor lighting, music and entertainment systems, helping people to create spaces to be sociable with others, and connect with our garden spaces to promote improved wellness and mental health. Switched-on developers are tapping into this new mindset, recognising again the importance of thinking about, planning and cabling for outdoor patio areas and rooftop gardens to create year-round outdoor living spaces.
Simple system control, personalisation, and integration with door entry, heating and cooling systems for optimum performance is also a pre-requisite in this tech-driven world. A professionally integrated smart home has a greater capacity, and capability, to seamlessly control more elements of the home from one central interface, such as a premium touchscreen or smart phone app. Choosing the right automation platform is hugely important for agents selling a property as well as for the prospective homebuyers who will use it for control. For us, there is only one platform that offers all the integration benefits to meet the expectations of the property buyer as well as delivering the most reliable, simple to operate solution for the property developer. That platform is Control4.
In essence, a property that’s professionally wired for technology and automated on an intuitive, easy to operate Control4platform is a must-have in prime residences. It offers flexibility and the capability for the buyer to personalise the tech in their home after purchase to precisely suit their lifestyle needs. With the right wiring infrastructure in place, a home can be fitted with a relatively simple system, then easily upgraded and expanded at a later point.
Working with professionals
Understanding how people will interact with technology in their everyday lives is the key to delivering solutions that enhance, entice and simplify. That’s where our skills and experience can inform the decision-making of a project design team and create functional, attractive and, ultimately, more appealing developments. We recognise how a professional solution creates a foundation that can be personalised and adapted to the changing requirements of a home’s inhabitants, their lifestyle, likes and dislikes. We understand how home automation can also support individual requirements, assisted living needs for an aging population, enhance wellbeing and boost energy efficiency.
Build a relationship with a trusted technology integrator who can help you navigate the benefit, cost and value issues surrounding technology and make sure you bring them in early during the design phase of a project. The right technology integrator will not only ensure that the design is right, and that the appropriate cabling infrastructure is in place from the get-go, but they can also help developers manage the sale of properties, implementing routines through the automation platform to showcase a property to best effect and managing technology sales, personalisation and upgrades with the homebuyer, once purchase is agreed.
Aonyx is a Control4 Partner. Find out more at https://www.aonyx.co.uk/.
