THE FUTURE IS NOW

Andy Attwell, Sales Director, RGB Communications, talks building automation.

I’m often asked what the future of home automation offers. The question actually amuses me, as when I think back 20 years and how far we have come in a relatively short space of time, it is astonishing how a user can now have the house work for them, rather than they run the house. I also feel that we haven’t scratched the surface yet regarding market penetration. Yes, the likes of Apple, Google and Amazon have all released products that are ‘Smart’, but these products are really just interfaces, with multiple third-party products and control systems required to get the most out of them. To look at the future, I think we have to look back first and assess where we currently are.

Prior to home automation, there were plenty of smart-ish products that offered solutions for single problems. Multi-room audio, ambient lighting systems, HVAC etc. were all available but required their own control systems that worked independently from anything else. There were a handful of ‘control’ systems available but these tended to be expensive, clunky and very exclusive, also requiring the programming skills of an expert! Okay, so we all have to start somewhere and just by the very nature of what was involved, the price made these systems available only to the very wealthy.

In more recent times (and really since the advent of IP control), the cost of entrylevel systems that now incorporate all of the above features and more, have become far more popular. However, we are probably still only talking 1-2% (and perhaps I am being generous?) of UK homes wired for home automation. Wi-Fi was seen as the big hope but, as anyone who has installed a true home automation system will tell you, cables are still the most reliable solution. Considering that the cost of running cables to every possible point in a home is negligible in the context of a new build, it would be a brave installer that goes totally wire-free.

Depending on the budget, what can now be achieved from dedicated home automation brands such as Crestron, Control 4, RTi and, of course, Savant is extraordinary. From simple room lighting through to Circadian environments, wireless speaker control through to multi-room AV, digital thermostats through to zonal heating, a Ring doorbell through to whole-home security etc., everything can now be assembled and controlled by a single, intuitive user interface or App. Crucially, the set-up of these systems has also become significantly more user-friendly for installers. Using Savant as a good example, the main system set up is drag and drop, requiring very little ‘specialist’ programming to get a system up and running. Of course, I would always recommend an installer obtains the required skills prior to starting out with a new system. However, the days of having to employ a software engineer to create a command to turn the lights on are disappearing.

As the technology required is reducing in cost and the skills of installers has grown significantly, enticing new customers has never been easier. Many of the projects that I have visited have seen the CI team not only liaising with builders and architects but, in many cases, practically running the job! I firmly believe that the skill base and professionalism of many of the installers I have met is that much more proficient than other trades, which is great to see. What we really need to be doing is broadcasting this out to a wider audience as I feel that once people know what can be achieved within their homes and that it is actually more affordable than they think, we will have many more converts. And, as more consumer goods are branded ‘smart’, the appetite for a single eco-system whereby everything is controlled also increases.

So what of the future? I would say that technology is continuing to be developed, with VR starting to make its way into the space. However, I would suggest that perhaps the development of the industry is to reach out to new customers and offer solutions that will make the category more acceptable and affordable. By utilising the off-the-shelf user interfaces as an introduction to smart homes combined with education to consumers, I think that we can widen the appeal of the industry and expand our customer bases. Is there a vehicle for this education to consumers? Not really, other than the more we install, the greater increase in awareness. Perhaps this means that, as an industry, we need to be more open to offering ‘standard’ solutions at more affordable costs? Yes, I know that every project is different, but my guess is that many of them form a similar process.

I believe that there are many potential customers who are unaware of what can be achieved and those that are informed, are frightened of the costs. Yes, some elements can be expensive (or reassuringly expensive, depending on the point of view). But there are many areas, such as lighting, audio and security that just need the control system to bring them together in a user-friendly and more affordable way.