Luxury builders and technology suppliers from around the country met last week in Orlando, Florida at the 2016 TecHome Builder LUX conference to network, build business partnerships and learn how to leverage home technologies to increase sales. During the informative “What Luxury Looks Like in Energy, Electrical and Comfort” session, distinguished builders, a LEED AP consultant and a representative from leading control, audio and power solutions provider Core Brands emphasized the increasing importance of smart home technologies in “green” building.
“If you put smart home technology into a home building project, the take rate increases from 15 percent to 50 percent,” Core Brands Director of Business Development Joe Lautner explained. “When a building project begins, it’s important to set a foundation for the future advancements of the home through technologies like automation systems. Starting with a reliable base like the ELAN Entertainment and Control platform can increase a home buyer’s flexibility, scalability and choice throughout their home’s lifespan.”
Reliable and energy efficient sub-systems are best identified in the planning stage of designing a home. Through open communication between home buyers, builders and technology integrators, a network can be designed into the home that allows integrated systems to be built and scaled as desired. Once this foundation is set, custom builders can focus on the main goals of the new luxury home. Whether a home is centered on entertainment or focused on security, it needs the correct groundwork to be successful for the homeowner.
TecHome LUX panelist, LEED AP specialist and home buyer, Kim Erle, explained, “There was a point where luxury in the home equated to beautiful finishes and what you can see with your eye, but not necessarily the performance of the home. Now, the luxury home industry is much like the luxury car industry, focused on performance. Nobody is going to buy a luxury car that doesn’t perform well. Now, in the luxury home industry, people are very interested in performance and energy efficiency in their home.”
Yet, the performance Erle is referring to extends beyond savings on a homeowner’s electric bill to encompass the stewardship and responsibility more and more homeowners are feeling toward the environment. With the rising effects of global climate change and natural changes in the earth’s atmosphere, luxury homeowners are looking for ways to reduce greenhouse gases and reduce their carbon footprint to help everyone breathe a little easier.
“Home technology is extremely personal,” Lautner continued. “By determining a home buyer’s specialized goal for the home, whether it be entertainment, security or energy efficiency, builders and technology integrators can create individualized product packages that fit directly into each home’s creative design. These packages can be set around the ‘good, better and best’ business model that has proven success in a variety of markets around the world. The bottom line is that, thanks to advances in smart home technology, solutions can be made available at more price points than ever before. It is now very practical to incorporate a smart home solution into every type of home project, from starter home developments to high end luxury projects.”
Erle concluded, “Home buyers wants home theaters, high-end audio and all of the bells and whistles that come with a luxury home. Luxury buyers want the home automation system to be part of the home’s performance, yet many homeowners don’t know the products and technologies that can make this seamless performance a reality. As builders and consultants, it’s our responsibility to sell these products and position them in a way that resonates with clients. Smart green homes are the homes of the future.”