Is Rosie the Robot maid headed to your home builds?

Although we may not be living in the world of the Jetsons yet, smart home technology is becoming the norm. And a recent technological breakthrough may help get there sooner.

This innovation makes home energy management systems (HEMS) far simpler to install — and could have a serious market-moving impact.

With conventional systems, electricians had to wire dozens of smart devices to individual breakers, which could take hours, or even days. With new technology, electricians can connect these smart devices to just the two main wires feeding the home’s main breaker, shrinking home-wide install times to 30 minutes or less.

Here’s what you should know about the next big thing coming to the home energy monitoring market.

Rapid installs and actionable energy monitoring

HEMSs are a type of smart energy monitoring technology that give homeowners data about their home’s energy, helping them track everyday activity, reduce monthly bills, and spot potential issues.

This new innovation allows homeowners to monitor every appliance, HVAC system, and other devices drawing energy within their home — whether they’re smart or not — through an app. This system provides unprecedented insights into energy use.

Builders can also harness this data by using it to prove the savings of energy efficient home designs and thereby differentiate the company in a crowded market.

Strong customer demand for home energy monitor systems

Consider this: A report from CNET and Coldwell Banker[i] found that 71 percent of Americans say smart home tech is something they would look for when purchasing a home.

But homeowners aren’t just interested in speakers and lights. They’re looking for home energy monitoring as well. In a survey from T3 Sixty,[ii] Realtors report that the second most popular request from smart home buyers following security is energy monitoring. Entertainment ranks third.

Home shoppers are looking for smart home solutions, and HEMSs are poised to play an even larger role in a home buyer’s decision in the years to come.

Keeping ready for what’s next

In the future, expect to see HEMSs integrated alongside newer energy technologies, including consumer backup power generators and whole-home surge protection.

Combining these solutions creates greater potential for energy transparency, consistency, and safety for the homeowner.

The key for builders is to stay ahead of the curve. HEMSs have never been faster or easier to install as part of a standard home package. Plus, they can boost the real and perceived value to buyers and make a new home stand out from those built by other builders.

It’s no surprise then that HEMSs are booming: Yearly global demand is expected to rise 17 percent until 2024.[iii] Explore solutions that can provide a competitive edge.

References
[i] “Selling Your House? Coldwell Banker Thinks Smart Tech Can Help,” Ry Crist, CNET, August 2016. View resource here.
[ii] “Smart Homes: An Emerging Real Estate Opportunity,” T3 Sixty and Caldwell Banker Real Estate, 2018. View resource here.
[iii] “Home Energy Management Systems Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity, and Forecast 2019 – 2024,” IMARC Group, June 2019. View resource here.