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SMART LIGHTING & LIGHTING CONTROL
THINKING SMARTER IS THE WAY FORWARD Home automation can appear overly complex but there are simple, easy-to-use systems out there that offer installers the opportunity to make their customers’ homes smarter, writes Alex Velea, Smart Technical Engineer at Knightsbridge.
T
he smart home has long been talked about, but the current offerings rely on expensive hubs and gateways that take considerable setting up, have overcomplicated user interfaces, and require an excessive amount of personal information to get started. Certainly, there’s an appetite from consumers to get into a smart way of controlling appliances and lighting, but the barriers to entry have been prohibitive on the cost front and overly complex.
of the budget (27%) allocated to home improvements by the British public, suggesting that there is a great opportunity for sales of smart devices to flourish. What the market really needs is a simple-to-use smart system that offers convenience, flexibility, and scalability, where devices can be controlled by an app via an existing home router. For the homeowner, this would negate the need for costly outlay on proprietary systems and allow the installer to suggest electrical accessories and lighting products that can be built into a tailor-made smart system for the home.
Another driver for smart usage has been the trend towards home improvements driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to working from home (WFH). Not only have people saved money, but they have also spent more time at home which has led to a reappraisal of rooms, décor and lighting, especially when faced with making the home your ‘office’. This ‘living/working space’ upgrade is driving refurbishments and rewiring upgrades, providing an opportunity to install smart devices. As a survey of householders by the HomeServe Foundation reveals, electrical work is taking over a quarter
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