Making life at home easier, convenient, and more fun is a focus at the moment. A lot of people are investing in smart home technology for a variety of reasons.
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Porter Davis new home consultant James Cox shares some of the top trending tech additions that are keeping Aussies connected at home.
Smart home entertainment
We've seen increased demand from people who are missing cinema experience and are looking to recreate that atmosphere at home. People want jazzed-up home theatre systems that can connect to a smart phone, allowing users to dim the lights, shut the blinds, turn on the projector and put a movie on all from one app.
Smart security
External security systems are a great way to ensure peace of mind. Video doorbells in particular have been a popular addition, allowing the homeowner to see who is arriving and give directions through the two-way speaker system. You can connect these systems to your mobile so if you're not home when that online shopping package arrives you can instruct the driver where to leave your delivery.
Smart sustainability
Smart energy solutions are one of the most popular additions we find Australians adding to their new homes, as users seek greater control over the way energy is being used throughout the home.
One example we're seeing is an increase in demand for Tesla power walls in the home. These power walls are installed in the garage during construction and are used to store energy for solar self-consumption and time of use load-shifting.
They are connected to an app that allows users to monitor their energy consumption throughout the day, to help them see where they can cut back. The power wall also acts as a back-up generator in the case of a power outage, which provides peace of mind.
Smart control
Looking at each room as a separate unit rather than at the home as a whole is a great way to increase sustainability.
Customers are opting for new systems that allow heating to be adjusted in individual rooms, so if they're spending all day in the home office, they can just heat that room and then swap this to the lounge at the end of the work day, rather than heating the entire home.
Another way is controlling hot water temperature. Solar powered hot water is a must have, and can now be regulated via a smartphone app allowing the water temperature to be adjusted. Button controls can also be installed on the wall in the bathroom to limit water temperature. This is great for saving power and ensuring children don't burn themselves.
