SCOLMORE GROUP
SCOLMORE GETS SERIOUS IN THE SMART HOME MARKET Scolmore Group looks at the technological advances driving the home automation market, along with the products available in its Click Smart+ brand.
T
he latest market report from AMA Research, ‘Home Automation Market Report – UK 2019-2023’, addresses the market for home automation products, which is a rapidly growing market and has benefited from the spread of wireless and app-based technologies. The report includes up to date information on recent trends and issues that are likely to impact on the market going forward over the next five years. Although home automation systems have been available in the UK for many years, it is in recent years they have expanded from an upper market niche into a more mainstream market. 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 two to three years. 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.
A modular approach The offering of modular systems which enable future expansion has also driven growth, and, in addition, the development of systems aimed at self-installation has expanded significantly, helping to substantially reduce costs and make systems more affordable to a wider market. 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. With the rapid increase of availability of home automation
4 | March 2021
FCP – Scolmore.indd 4
Smart Buildings
electricalcontractingnews.com
products, manufacturers are addressing this situation by making second and third generation devices with a broader range of connectivity options and protocols. 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.
Scolmore – getting smarter Having enjoyed many years of success with its smart wiring accessories range, Scolmore Group has now developed a brand new and comprehensive range of smart products under the Click Smart+ brand that takes its provision of smart home solutions to a whole new level. Designed to simplify and streamline connected home products – lighting controls, smart sockets, security cameras and sensors – the Click Smart+ range utilises Zigbee technology, one of the most widely adopted smart home technologies. Zigbee certified devices require the Click Smart+ Hub and communicate with each other using a mesh network which creates multiple pathways for the connection of multiple smart home devices without
@ElecConNews
/electricalcontractingnews
25/02/2021 16:50
