Best Home Technology Product

Transcription

techomebuilder.com
Special Report Series
WRAP
UP
Emerging Tech Trends
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Contents
4 Introduction
6 Best of IBS
10 Boutique Builder Profile: MBK Homes
12 Building Bliss with Blue Heron Homes
14 Multiplying Money in Multifamily
16 Are We Ready for Renewables?
19 Dipping Your Toes Into Tech
to 2020: Connecting Our Homes to
22 2015
the Internet of Things
26 Conclusion
Introduction
The 2015 International Builders’ Show (IBS), hosted by the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB), was a home technology
feast for the eyes and ears. Many attended the feast too—55,237,
in fact. This 8 percent increase over last year resulted in 478,000
square feet of bustling housing industry professionals eager to
learn about must-see products and exhibits. And there was plenty
to look at, with more than 1,200 exhibitors.
“I thought this year was above average, and very informative,” says homebuilder John Benton of
Middle Road Ventures in Tempe, Ariz.
Of course those responsible for organizing this behemoth of a show would agree.
“This has been the best show we have experienced since the economic downturn,” says Jerry
Konter, chair of the NAHB Convention and Meetings Committee in a press release. “You felt a great
energy the moment you hit the show floor, as builders and exhibitors continued to benefit from
the recovering economy.”
“First impressions, particularly involving your products, are so vital
to establishing a connection with your buyers,” says Chad Williams of
Pepper Viner Homes.
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TecHome Builder Special Report: IBS Wrap Up – Emerging Tech Trends
One such builder was Chad Williams, chief operating officer of
Pepper Viner Homes. “Housing trends are improving, but we’re
still playing catch up,” he says.
During the sessions, industry experts talked about the growing
Internet of Things (IoT), outdoor living, renewables, building
high performance homes, design and technology trends for all
generations, marketing and much more.
On the show floor, exhibitors fielded questions about
technologies, such as Parjana’s energy-passive groundwater
recharge product system, which manages storm water by
recharging the groundwater through increased infiltration into
the soil.
“Parjana seems very interesting to me,” Williams says. “We’re constantly striving to keep rainwater on
the home’s property and their energy-passive groundwater recharge product is intriguing.”
“The exhibit halls were packed from end to end, and the energy on the show floor was amazing,”
says newly elected NAHB Chairman Tom Woods, a homebuilder from Blue Springs, Mo.
“Design & Construction Week was truly a unique one-stop
shopping extravaganza for all those involved in the residential
construction industry, and this mega-event will be a great
springboard for housing in the year ahead.”
Visit www.techomebuilder.com
5
Best of IBS: Simple Tech
Makes a Big Splash
Awards prove that technology is making headway in the
building industry and that simplicity is an essential aspect.
The 2015 Best of IBS Awards proved that technology is here to stay for builders, but ease of installation and
cost are also big factors. The Best of IBS received 400 award entries submitted by nearly 200 exhibitors. A
panel of judges comprised of reporters and building professionals selected the winners in eight categories
plus the Best in Show award.
Best in Show: SnapRays
Guidelight by SnapPower
Inexpensive and simple: that’s what
homebuilders and judges alike seem to
appreciate about SnapRays Guidelight by
SnapPower.
The simple nightlight was named Overall Best
in Show, and Best Indoor Living Product after
launching less than a year ago in a Kickstarter
campaign. SnapPower co-founder Sean
Watkins describes the light as a “plug-and-play”
replacement for the standard plug-in nightlight
and the hardwired guide lights found on the
market today.
“I think the reason the Guidelight was chosen as
best product at the show is because it really is
a very simple, attractive solution to an everyday
need,” Watkins says. “We wanted the Guidelight
to be incredibly easy to install so that it was
cost-effective for the builder as well as easy for
consumers to move around the house as their
needs change.”
The light is designed to replace the standard
electrical outlet cover plate and requires no wires
or batteries to work. It installs in minutes with a
screwdriver. A light sensor automatically turns on
and off the three small LEDs at the bottom edge.
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“It’s very aesthetically pleasing because we’ve
built it directly into something that’s already in
the home—the outlet cover plate,” Watkins adds.
“There is no distraction from the home décor
during the day. When darkness comes, however,
it adds to the home décor by casting beautiful
accent lighting so the homeowner can navigate
around their home at night.”
The simple design and low price ($120 retail for a
pack of 10 plates and 10 cents a year to run) has
homebuilders keenly interested in installing lowcost ad-hoc technology in their homes. (Read
the full story on SnapPower and other low-cost
technologies on page 19.)
“I think the reason our product won is
because we engineered and designed
the Guidelight with both the builder
and end consumer in mind. Builders
like cost-effective, energy-efficient
and attractive things.”
Best Home Technology
Product: Big Ass Fan’s Haiku 52
with SenseMe
Big Ass Fans won a big ass award at
the International Builders’ Show Best
of IBS.
Its smart ceiling fan, the Haiku 52 with SenseMe,
won Best Home Technology Product. The SenseMe
technology in the fan links it to the Nest thermostat,
allowing homeowners to leave the thermostat
higher in the summer while the air feels cooler.
Big Ass Fans was one of the founding members
of the Thread Group, which works to promote the
low-power, open source platform. Residential
Sales Manager Margaret Schwartz accepted the
award and says the fan’s temperature and humidity
sensors allow it to adjust to the personal comfort
of the occupants.
Most Innovative Building
Product: One Touch Electric
Stairway by Marwin
If you’re short (like many of us at TecHome Builder),
just reaching the attic stairs can be a hassle and
usually involves jumping up and down to reach
the cord, getting out a small step ladder or getting
someone taller to do it for you.
But no longer!
Marwin’s One Touch Attic Stairway allows even the
smallest of us to access the attic at the touch of
a button, unlatching the door panel and allowing
the aviation-grade aluminum stair sections to slide
down to the floor. The electronically controlled attic
stairway has a 375 pound rating, an obstacle sensor
that stops the stairway from lowering if an object is
in the way and push-button access.
One Touch comes in three different ceiling height
ranges: 8-10 feet, 10-12 feet and 12-14 feet. It also
features ANSI 14.9-certified, 9-millimeter birch or
lauan plywood, six handrails, and a quiet motor
assembly.
CEO Andy Davis says the product “changes the way
a homeowner can access a forgotten aspect of
their home—the attic.
“With an aging population and
discriminate consumer market looking
to automate more household features,
it is an attractive and useful product
that has captured the attention of
architects, builders and homeowners.”
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Best Kitchen Product: Bosch
Benchmark Wall Oven by Bosch
Home Appliances
The Bosch Benchmark Wall Oven makes an
appearance in the New American Home (see page
12) as well as the awards podium. The oven has
a side opening door option for better ergonomic
access. The EcoChef function saves energy by using
the residual heat of the oven capacity to complete
the cooking process.
Judges liked the side-hung door,
calling it functional and solid, and
“great for anyone who is height
challenged. Also makes it so much
easier to remove that heavy turkey.”
Best Bath Product: Center Redi
Trench by Tile Redi USA
Tile Redi’s Center Redi Trench for shower stalls
features a one-piece, pre-pitched shower pan with
an integrated curb, splash walls and a 2-inch PVC
drain. A linear trench is molded into the product, and
tiles can be set directly on the shower pan surface
with no preparation needed.
Best Green Building Product:
Pure Genius Smart Floor by
Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood
Flooring
Lauzon’s Pure Genius Smart Floor is a hardwood
floor that breaks down volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) with titanium dioxide in the
finish. The air-purifying agent is activated by
natural and artificial light, which causes toxic
contaminants such as formaldehyde to break
down on contact and transform into harmless
molecules. The action can increase indoor air
quality by up to 85 percent over time.
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Best Outdoor Living Product:
Frost Free House Hydrant by
Aquor Water Systems
It’s advertised as “One garden hose connector
to rule them all.” The Frost Free House Hydrant
by Aquor Water Systems is simple to install and
replaces the standard outdoor faucet and the
inconveniences that come with them: the difficulty
of threading on a garden hose, the loss of water
due to leaky faucets and frozen faucets.
Aquor Hydrants are constructed to withstand
decades of use. Unlike standard brass faucets,
Aquor Hydrants are cast from marine-grade 316
stainless steel, providing superior durability, rust
resistance and freeze protection. The one-way
valve in the outlet automatically starts water flow
when the connector is inserted. When the hose is
unplugged, the valve closes and provides a leakproof seal.
You can swap out hoses and other
accessories without turning off the
water. The hydrant’s steel faceplate
replaces the protruding spigot, and the
friction-hinge cover will be available
in multiple colors to match the home
exterior.
It can be fitted to either copper or PEX piping and
will be priced competitively with standard frost-free
bibs. It’s a simple, durable solution that eliminates
the frustrations that virtually every homeowner
experiences with their outdoor faucets while also
improving a home’s aesthetics.
Best Window and Door
Product: Next Generation
Ultimate Double Hung Window
by Marvin Windows and Doors
This window is the first Marvin product not to
rely on a traditional window lock; instead it has
a “Keeperless Hardware System that controls all
aspects of the window’s operation.”
The sweep operates all aspects by moving
clockwise or counterclockwise at various positions.
The two panes can operate independently and tilt
for cleaning. The bottom sash can be locked open
with four inches of clearance for ventilation.
“This new window is a great example of
what Marvin does best—create a product
that is beautifully designed and that answers
our customers’ needs for functionality and
performance,” says Christine Marvin, director of
marketing at Marvin Windows and Doors.
“The competition for this year’s Best
of IBS awards was fierce,” says Jerry
Konter, NAHB’s 2014 Conventions
and Meetings Committee Chair and
a homebuilder from Savannah,
Georgia. “The 2015 winners
represent the best and most
innovative products on the market,
and we are pleased to be able to
honor them today.”
Technology, simplicity and
convenience won the day.
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Boutique Builder Profile:
MBK Homes
Tapping new technologies and targeting
customer expectations.
“Builders will not install technology for technology’s
sake. We will offer it when it fits the lifestyle
priorities and expectations of our customers,” says
Rick Fletcher, vice president of sales and marketing
for MBK Homes based in Irvine, Calif. “If you’re
building 10,000 homes a year, you can scale. As a
boutique regional developer, we aim to specify who
our buyer is. We don’t have the benefit of scale.”
A developer of for-sale single and multifamily
housing communities, rental homes, apartment
property acquisition and distressed asset
renovation, MBK builds between 150 and 250 forsale houses each year with its many architect and
subcontractor partners and has about 400 rental
units in some stage of construction.
“Our mission is to provide top quality shelter to residents in California,”
says Mike Schmidt, the company’s vice president of operations.
“In Southern California especially, builders have had to be more
innovative and more tech-savvy because of the scarcity and price of
land, and MBK is no exception.”
Over the past two decades, MBK Homes
has become an expert at targeting the best
fit for its customers and has won multiple
Eliant awards for quality service and
customer satisfaction.
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A second MBK development—1600 at Artesia
Square in Gardena, California—is a model of
efficiency, earning LEED-Platinum and Energy
Star certifications, and each unit includes its
own photovoltaic system, tankless water heater
and carbon monoxide sensors on each floor.
At one of MBK’s newest infill communities—Sea
House in Costa Mesa, Calif.—the interior spaces
include Energy Star appliances, advanced wiring
with RG6 and CAT5 cables for high-speed
connections, multimedia flat-panel TVs, a USB
charging station in each kitchen and electric vehicle
conduits in each garage. Options include a flatscreen TV conduit on balconies and Nexia Home
Intelligence automation for thermostat control and
front-door locks.
Through its LifeWise program, MBK also provides
energy-efficient tankless water heaters, low-flow
toilets and faucets, fluorescent and LED lighting and
drought-resistant landscaping.
A specialist in urban infill developments among
other locales, MBK Homes has taken the pulse of
Gen Xers and Millennials and knows that different
markets mean different technology options. “For
transit-oriented customers, certain tech makes
sense: electric vehicle and hybrid charging stations,
bike stations, plasma TV outlets,” says Fletcher.
“In some of our new communities, we’ve installed
solar panels on top of car ports, and we pay close
attention to common areas where people gather.”
Even the smallest, under-the-radar tech can make
a big difference and have an end-user benefit,
Fletcher says. “Noise pollution in multifamily
housing is a problem, and one way we found to
improve convenience is to install SOMMER silent
garage door openers standard.”
When the customer wants the fully automated
“smart home” experience, MBK is ready to comply.
“We work with our integrator partners to install
structured wiring so that people can go wireless or
through a central hub … video, security, Nest, garage
locks, keyless entry, audiovisual, smart tablets, wall
screens, you name it,” says Schmidt.
“Technology is going to become more compulsory
for builders in the next five years due to energy
efficiency, building code requirements, stricter
solar requirements by 2020, and even the rise
of panelized homebuilding,” says Fletcher. “Many
builders have been slow to respond to these trends,
but there’s nowhere to go but up. It’ll be interesting
to see how we use the new tech. It’s definitely going
to be a priority for us.”
While enthusiastic about new and advancing
technologies, Schmidt encourages a modicum
of caution, thinking back to a decade ago when
the marketing hype about widespread green
home adoption did not quite match the reality of
consumer demand.
“Back then, nearly 80 percent of
homebuyers surveyed said they’d rather
have granite countertops than solar
power. Now granite is more or less
standard, cheaper in some cases than tile.
Costs will change in solar as well; prices
will drop. But to succeed, we must be sure
people want this tech and that they’re
willing to pay for it.”
Either way, MBK Homes plans to evolve with the
times to meet and exceed customer expectations
in every project for years to come.
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Building Bliss with
Blue Heron Homes
Homebuilder uses technology, designbuild approach to create luxury abodes.
While Blue Heron may be a newer company, it has
certainly made its mark in the luxury homebuilding
industry. Using home technology and a designbuild approach, Blue Heron is able to sell predesigned custom homes and true custom homes
for up to $7 million a pop.
If you attended IBS in 2009, 2013 or the most
recent event held in Las Vegas, January 20 to 22,
you may have toured the New American Home.
While this is a souped-up version of what you
would typically see in a Blue Heron Home, it gives
you an idea of what to expect from Tyler Jones and
his father, Steve.
“He taught me a lot about the whole business,”
Jones says of his father. “To be able to bring his
construction experience together with some of my
ideas about design has been a really neat dynamic
and business relationship.”
Founded in 2004, Blue Heron allows clients
to choose from pre-designed custom homes,
which have predetermined floor plans with tech
add-ons. It’s like a custom home, but a lot less
expensive at around $1 million. The true custom
homes start at around $1.5 million, and start with a
blank slate.
“We design something completely
one-of-a-kind for the customer,”
Jones says.
Jones says that communication and coordination
among the designer, general contractor and the
technology integrator are critical to creating a
seamless homebuilding process.
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“In our case, we encourage other builders
and architects to really take a look at putting
together a design-build situation,” Jones
says. “The more control you have, the better
chance you have of maintaining the vision
you are trying to achieve.”
The design–build process delegates a single point
of responsibility contact to unify the flow of work
and reduce the delivery schedule by overlapping the
design phase and construction phase of a project.
And then comes the technology. “We market it by
demonstrating it in our model homes,” Jones says.
Blue Heron allows clients to immerse themselves in the
possibilities by showing them one of the two model
homes they have available. As the clients become
engaged with the technology, they understand it better
and get an idea for what they want. The integrators
also have their own show rooms to showcase the
newest technologies available.
While Blue Heron does not have a standard
technology offering, it sets clients up with an
extensive wiring package infrastructure.
Afterwards, the design, architecture and construction
teams are reengaged to get everyone on the same
page and coordinate engineering and plans.
“We understand that technology has
got to be integrated into everything
else we do, all the way into the
structure of the home,” Jones says.
The cost to incorporate the technology represents
about 10 percent of the total construction cost, but
Jones says it’s worth it to gain a competitive advantage.
Once Blue Heron gives the integrator feedback
on the client’s budget, Blue Heron steps away to
let the professionals dive into the solutions that
are just right for them. The integrators do this
on a case-by-case basis, sometimes giving the
clients questionnaires, but always figuring out
who they are and what they need through casual
conversation. Clients can then choose just about
anything within their price range, from recessed
motorized shades to LED lit countertops in the bar
or wine tasting room.
“For the selection process we take a back seat
to that conversation between the client and the
integrator, because we really believe the right
solution is to find an integrator who really knows
what they are doing, who can really have that upto-the-minute, intelligent conversation about what
the appropriate solutions are for the client and what
technologies are available,” Jones says.
“You’re going to see positive
results any time you step out of
the status quo and do something
that’s a little bit different and
innovative,” says Jones.
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Multiplying Money
in Multifamily
55+ homeowners want more tech.
Forget millennials … tech trends are for the 55 and
over crowd. At least that’s the philosophy Traditions
of America follows and hopes to expand on
after this year’s International Builders’ Show. The
privately owned multifamily developer and builder in
Pennsylvania has delivered more than 2,500 active
adult homes since the company started in 1997.
“Time is often just as, or more important than
money,” says partner at Traditions of America
Nathan Jameson. “The ability to manage their
water heater settings remotely from a smart phone
application and the ability to, with the touch of
a button, reduce energy consumption through
‘smart’ temperature settings on their heating and
cooling unit–these are simply better choices than
convention.”
Traditions of America already uses Apple TVs in its
model homes, clubhouses and welcome centers,
and Apple iPads display homeowner testimonials
as part of the company’s Buying Made Easy
Program. Technology has also been tested in the
individual units.
“Energy saving and convenience
technologies like tankless water
heaters are very popular in our homes,
where they’re saving energy and
adding convenience to their lifestyle,”
says Jameson.
The use of tech has paid off, as the company’s
revenue has grown 20 percent annually. Last year,
Traditions of America closed 260 homes in five
communities for a total revenue of $105 million.
And Jameson expects even more money to roll in
with new tech being introduced this year.
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Jameson’s four key reasons to integrate more
technology in new homes …
1. Convenience – buyers want it if it saves time
and/or improves quality of life
2. Money-saving – mature customers want to
know the impact on their wallet
3. Competitive advantage – give buyers a
reason to leave the “old” and buy “new”
4. Enhances operational efficiencies –
focus on new acquisitions and current clients
With those in mind, Traditions of
America will launch its first “smart
home” in its Saucon Valley community
this year. Jameson discovered some of
the new tech for that home at IBS.
Jameson is interested in the following tech:
•
Nest’s learning thermostat – which
learns a client’s schedule, programs itself
and can be controlled by a phone
•
Control4 – which integrates lighting control,
music, home theater, climate control,
security, smartphones and tablets
The company is now creating even more bonds
with vendors after IBS, as it prepares to train
its staff on new products. The vendor usually
provides the initial training to Traditions of America
employees. An in-house expert then takes over as
the “go-to” person within the company.
•
The Kwikset Kevo – which allows the lock
to operate by just a touch when you pair it to
a Bluetooth device such as a cell phone and
can track when and who opened the door
“This reduces employee frustration,” says Jameson,
“by mitigating the ‘us versus them’ mentality that
can materialize when the primary technology
advocate is not a team member.”
•
Apple HomeKit – a framework in
iOS, that hasn’t been released yet, for
communicating with and controlling
connected devices in the home
The company also uses GoToMeeting, Skype and
Evernote Chat to give employees a chance to
respond to changes.
“The smart home is really critical
because it gives clients another reason
to buy new, and we in the new home
building business are competing
against the home the homeowner lives
in today,” says Jameson. “Something
has to be compelling enough for them
to leave that home and move into a
new one.”
To sell tech, you have to use it. The Integrated
Homebuilder Management System (IHMS) is an
enterprise software that helps Traditions of America
stay connected with its subcontractors, vendors and
suppliers. They can view work orders and purchase
orders and communicate directly with construction
managers.
“The use of this paperless enterprise technology
dramatically reduces the time and effort needed to
manage vendor relationships,” says Jameson.
Traditions of America has been recognized by
the NAHB for its planning, design, amenities and
marketing and has received more than 20 gold and
silver awards from the organization’s 50+ Housing
Council in the last four years.
Jameson is excited about what
the future of tech may bring to his
company. “As far as the products I saw
at the Builders’ Show, I felt there was a
definite trend toward integration and
home automation.”
That means more home and life safety devices
that are important to the 55 and over buyers, a
group Jameson says is now breaking through the
stereotype that older clients can’t adapt to tech.
Traditions of America is evolving now because its
clients 65 and younger have already spent most
of their lives using technology, and soon the entire
consumer base will be tech savvy.
For now, the trick is to focus on demonstration and
education … allowing the older homebuyers to touch,
feel and utilize the tech as part of their purchase.
15
Are We Ready
for Renewables?
Host-owned rooftop solar adds significant value
to U.S. homes across 8 states, report says.
Making unexpected connections is what the
International Builders’ Show is all about. One
session, Are We “Ready” for Renewables?, did
just that by bringing together a renewable energy
researcher and a green home appraiser—one who
works behind the scenes and one who’s on the
front lines of the housing market. The topic: a new
report quantifying the value of rooftop photovoltaic
(PV) systems for homebuyers and builders.
The presenters and lead authors of the report, titled
Selling Into the Sun, were Ben Hoen, a research
associate at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
and Sandra Adomatis of Adomatis Appraisal
Services in Punta Gorda, Flor. Both stressed the
timeliness and comprehensiveness of their study,
which was funded by the U.S. Department of
Energy’s SunShot Initiative, a collaborative national
effort driving innovation to make solar energy cost
competitive with traditional energy sources before
the end of the decade.
“Capturing the
value of PV to
residential properties
is important
for enabling a
robust rooftop PV
market,” Hoen says.
“Appraisers, sales
agents and others
tasked with property
valuation have made strides toward
valuing PV homes, and several limited
studies suggest the presence of PV home
premiums, particularly in California.”
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The new study fills important gaps in this literature,
Hoen says, and illuminates various factors that
might influence U.S. PV home premiums. It
more than doubles the number of PV home
sales previously analyzed, examines home sale
transactions in eight different states and spans
the years 2002 to 2013, encompassing the recent
housing boom, bust and recovery.
Among the report’s major conclusions are the
following:
•
Homebuyers consistently have been willing to
pay more for a property with PV across a variety
of states, housing and PV markets and home
types. Average market premiums across the
full sample of homes are about $4 per watt or
$15,000 for a typical 3.6-kW PV system.
•
“Our findings should provide greater confidence
that PV adds a quantifiable premium to a wide
variety of homes in California and beyond.”
Premiums for PV homes are $1.10 per watt
higher in California than outside California
($16,000 and $12,700 respectively for an
average-sized system), but this difference is not
statistically significant.
•
In addition to California, the study investigates
home pricing trends in Connecticut, Florida,
Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New York
and Pennsylvania by analyzing the sales of more
than 20,000 homes in these states.
PV premiums remained fairly consistent even
as PV gross costs decreased dramatically over
the study period and the housing market went
through upheaval.
•
A “green cachet” might exist for PV homes;
that is, buyers might be willing to pay a certain
amount for having any size of PV system on
their homes and then some increment more
depending on the size of the system.
“As PV systems become more and more common
on U.S. homes, more than half a million as of
2014, it will be increasingly important to value
them accurately, using a variety of methods,” says
Adomatis.
“We recommend that homes that went solar through leases
or purchase agreement programs should be an area of future
research,” Adomatis adds. “Our current study examines only
homes with host-owned systems owned by the property owner,
not a third-party-owned or leased system.”
17
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Dipping Your Toes
Into Tech
Inexpensive ways for builders to tap
into technology.
Technology is trendy and expensive. Production
builders struggle to stay cutting-edge, while also
keeping the costs of their homes at a price point
their customers can afford. Many of these highvolume builders took advantage of IBS to find some
affordable tech trends.
“All the buyers out there are just
looking for a little bit more for their
money, so if you can show them you’re
thinking outside the box, then you’ve
got them locked in,” says production
builder Kirby Burks.
Burks is the managing partner at C3 Custom
Homes, which mainly focuses on multifamily
and residential homes in Northwest Arkansas.
His company has built three communities in the
Bentonville area, and he’s looking for new tech
ideas that he can budget for in the future.
SnapPower won Best in Show at
IBS for the cover plates that cost
$12 to $15 each.
SnapPower’s booth caught his eye at this year’s
IBS. The 6-month-old SnapRays Guidelight for
night time task lighting is built into the cover plate
of an outlet, so builders don’t have to wire it or plug
it in and it won’t take up an outlet.
“You have to pay money as a builder for [other
guide lights] to be hard-wired. Our product
however … there’s absolutely no cost to installing it
because the builders already need, by code, outlets
throughout the house,” says SnapPower founder
Sean Watkins.
“Your average cost to put a hard-wired light in the
home is $60 to $90 after installation and labor,”
he says.
19
“SnapPower’s Guidelight is a great
product,” says production builder Steven
Cuff. “Very easy to install and has
tremendous customer appeal. It’s just
efficiency and it’s what people want,
nothing more than that. You’re just trying
to satisfy a customer.”
The Guidelight is SnapPower’s first product. The
company is also running a Kickstarter campaign for
a cover plate with a USB port that’s coming out in
March … a product Burks will be waiting for.
“Everybody has cell phones, so we could put them
in the master bedrooms, in the nightstand,” says
Burks. “I know at home we’re always looking for
our cell phone charger, so a USB port beside the
nightstand would be awesome.”
Cuff runs Steven Cuff Construction Company in
Charlotte, N.C. He’s trolling for tech at IBS for his
business that touts cost effectiveness for firsttime buyers.
“We’re looking for technology
software,” says Cuff. “Things that
will make us more productive in
the industry. We also want to be a
frontrunner in some of the new and
innovative products that are out
there today.”
Brio also showed inexpensive ways to innovate at this year’s IBS. It’s
Smart Outlet and Safe Outlet use technology that adds a “dormant”
state to the 120-volt electrical outlet so that it automatically supplies
electricity only when it is needed, protecting children and pets and
reducing the risk of fire.
Builders can simply replace an existing standard outlet with the Brio
product that was designed by an ex-Sony design team. Brio’s site also
has an instructional video.
Brio Safe is the basic product that focuses on electrical safety only.
It costs roughly $35 per unit. Brio Smart also monitors carbon
monoxide, water events and fire in the home and sends alerts
through an app to the smart phone. It goes for $79 per unit. They’re
both expected to be available later this year.
“Just basically changing out an outlet cover,” says
Cuff. “Just change the look, change the people’s
thought process; that’s what they want in the
marketplace.”
20
Convenience and safety are two popular categories homebuyers are looking for. Another is health.
“We actually developed the H-300-NXT as a direct response to homeowners
concerns for a healthier home,” says Pentair’s marketing communications
specialist Kathleen Fugler.
Subscribe to the TecHome Builder newsletter for more.
www.techomebuilder.com/subscribe
Pentair introduced its newest Everpure filter at IBS. It is NSF/ANSI 401
certified and reduces emerging contaminants in drinking water, such
as pharmaceuticals, over the counter medications, and manufacturing
compounds like BPA. It has a 50 percent larger filter than normal, that’s also
100 percent recyclable.
“Homeowners will not only feel good because their
water tastes great, but they’ll know that they’re doing
something good for the environment,” says Fugler.
The H-300-NXT drinking water system uses an additional faucet and may be
on the pricier end for production builders. It’s $479.99 for the system. Filters go
for $179.99 and should be replaced yearly.
But, if you’re going to dip your toes in tech, you might as well get your whole
foot wet. Builders can try out all of these products for just over $500.
21
2015 to 2020:
Connecting Our Homes to
the Internet of Things
The Internet of Things, the Internet of Everything, the Industrial
Internet: Call it what you want, it’s here to stay. Homebuyers want
connected devices, and homebuilders can expect connectivity
and automation to change the business significantly in the next
five, even 20, years.
Two IBS sessions made it clear that
connectivity and automation are what
homebuyers of all generations want,
and what the industry should expect.
What’s Currently Trending in Today’s
Homes hosted by Rose Quint, the
NAHB’s assistant vice president
of survey research, and Jill Waage,
executive editor for home design at
Better Homes and Gardens—released
the results of two surveys by the NAHB
and the home design magazine that
describe the features and technology
preferences of new home buyers that
will shape the single-family home of
2015 and beyond.
The State of Technology in 2020
session—presented by Chad Davis, senior director
of online services and digital media for the NAHB,
and Phil Crone, the executive officer of the Dallas
Builders Association—showed a packed room of
homebuilders and manufacturers the industrychanging technology they can expect in 2020.
22
Both sessions proved that while
high-tech “bling” might attract
homebuyers’ eyes, it’s the devices
and connectivity that will make
operating a home more affordable
and efficient, changing the ways
homebuilders build their homes,
and operate their businesses.
23
The NAHB’s Rose Quint unveiled the results of two surveys: one
asking homebuilders what features they are most likely to include
in a typical new home this year and one asking Millennials what
features are most likely to affect their homebuying decisions.
Of the top 10 features mentioned by homebuilders,
four have to do with energy efficiency. Low-E
windows, Energy Star-rated appliances and
windows and programmable thermostats were
popular among homebuilders in the survey, while
Millennials want separate laundry rooms (and see
it as a location for smart devices), as well as Energy
Star appliances and home certifications.
They’re also willing to pay 2-3 percent more for
energy efficiency as long as they see returns
on their utility bills. Millennials also consider
technology to be a major part of their lives, using
smartphones and tablets to control their TVs and
sound systems, heating and air-conditioning, and
security and lighting.
24
“They want to use their brains for other
things, not for remembering whether
they adjusted the heat or closed the
garage door,” BHG’s Waage says.
Looking forward to 2020, Chad Davis suggests
that we’re currently in the “bling” stage of home
automation and smart devices. He used connected
lighting as an example.
“I don’t know that I necessarily need to control my
lights via the IoT; that’s not of value to me. This may
continue to exist, but this isn’t the killer app that gets
this technology into the home. It’s just getting us
ready for something bigger that’s coming.”
2020: Connectivity, Standardization and Automation
What’s coming are homes and devices that
talk “past” us mere humans to produce actions:
ordering propane for the grill from the supermarket,
tracking surges and energy use for the utility, and
notifying a building inspector of any structural
problems.
Although Nest and its platform Thread are the
poster children for such a platform, Davis says
many device makers are developing closed
platforms that will only work with their own devices.
It’s like Android versus Apple’s iOS or PC versus Mac
on an even larger scale.
The problem, Davis says, is that there is currently no
standard platform for all of these devices to use.
“Nest is basically using the App Store model that
Apple created and creating a place that everybody
can profit from and take a little cut of the cash
that comes through as people continue profiting,”
Davis says.
“Until we have standardization we’re
not going to have the cohesion needed
to drive this forward.”
Monitoring and Security: Actionable Connectivity
Currently, homeowners can control their thermostat
from their phone and allow the thermostat to
learn what temperatures they like and when to set
them, but with Thread, other devices can also talk
to the thermostat, such as the ceiling fan, security
cameras and motion sensors, saving energy and
creating a new idea of home security.
More than half of Millennials, 51 percent, want
security devices in their homes, according to
Waage. A lot of the same devices that let you
know whether you forgot to lock the house in the
morning also inform you about what’s going on
with your house.
51%
“It’s interesting to
watch this generation
turn the conversation
away from purely
of Millennials want security ‘keeping the bad stuff
out’ and onto safety
devices in their homes
and security.
The future smart home will be able not only to
tell you that your roof is leaking or the window is
open. It will also be able to do something about it,
closing the window or notifying the homebuilder or
the municipality, says Davis. That could lead to all
sorts of new issues and opportunities: More data
for potential homebuyers and real estate agents on
the quality of your homes, and data that can lead to
better-built homes for builders.
“What the industry is trying
to figure out now is how to
take that data and make it
actionable,” says Davis.
“This is allowing them to access more information.
They bring technology with them every day to
monitor whether the house is leaking, and did my
parents who are retired and live two states away
open the refrigerator today? Did they eat?”
25
Conclusion
As the 2015 IBS came to a close, certain
trends became apparent. Homebuilders are
looking for one platform to rule them all and
technology that can be used by anyone.
“I was very focused on integrating technologies so families could live
in a multi-generational environment making young families and their
parents comfortable and compatible,” says John Benton of Middle
Road Ventures.
“The benefits of families being able to monitor their more senior
family members without intruding is huge and could save families
thousands of dollars, compared to having part- or full-time people
employed to care for seniors.”
One thing is for sure, homes are becoming
smarter. Builders are evolving their offers and
directing their attention toward technology to
increase profits and remain relevant.
Subscribe to the TecHome Builder newsletter to learn
how other builders are leveraging technology.
26
2015
Get Ready
Hyatt Regency in Austin, TX
27
www.techomebuilder.com/lux
Omni at ChampionsGate, FL
November 4–6, 2015
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Best Home Technology Product

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