The Pop-Up Power devices install easily with no electrician required. A simple 3-⅛-in. diameter cutout allows the device to drop into place, tighten and plug into a GFCI outlet. Customers select from two options: a four-outlet model or an eight-outlet model that also features two USB-A and two USB-C receptacles for charging electronic devices. 

Supported by Task Lighting & Power’s free Design Services team and quick shipping, Pop-Up Power makes power integration straightforward for designers, fabricators and installers. It also ships quickly, arriving assembled and ready to install.

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Above photo: Modern Home Systems installed high-performance invisible speakers from Sonance in this kitchen ceiling. Photo credit: Sonance  

What Each Professional Brings to the Table

Designers advocate for beauty, comfort and how a space should feel. Integrators advocate for functionality and day-to-day reliability, and they design ways to conceal technology so it is available when needed and invisible when it is not. When those priorities align early, outcomes improve in ways neither side can consistently achieve alone. 

A few examples where early teamwork pays off quickly: 

• Lighting Fixtures & Lighting Control. Designers shape mood and ambience; integrators design solutions that translate intent into compatible dimming, scenes and intuitive control. 

• Motorized Shades & Shade Pockets. Designers select the window shading style, fabric and overall look; integrators design the power, control and automation so the shades are easy to operate and live with. 

• Keypads & Wall Controls. Designers protect symmetry and finishes; integrators specify intuitive and design-friendly controls. Early coordination eliminates unsightly “wall acne.” 

• TV Placement. If clients want a TV in the kitchen, designers protect sightlines and scale, while integrators design clever solutions that allow the TV to disappear completely when not in use. 

• Visible Versus Invisible Speakers. Designers preserve visual rhythm; integrators design systems that balance performance with aesthetic goals and room acoustics. 

• Security. Designers protect curb appeal; integrators design discreet surveillance camera coverage and alarm systems. 

• Wi‑Fi Access Point Locations. Designers keep ceilings and countertops clean; integrators design high-performance Wi-Fi systems for coverage and discreet placement throughout the home. 

A Vinette Designers Will Recognize

A designer finalizes a kitchen with sculptural pendants, a clean backsplash and aligned millwork. Late in the process, the client requests smart lighting control, motorized shades, a bigger TV and high-quality speakers in the kitchen and dining room to use with their Sonos music system. Suddenly, keypad locations conflict with tile, the lighting needs to be rewired, you wonder how to hide that big TV, and speaker locations compete with ceiling details. No one did anything wrong, but the timing forces compromises. 

Now imagine the same project with early design coordination with your home technology integrator partner. The designer still leads the vision. The integrator simply helps translate that vision into a plan aligned with the architecture and the client’s wishes. 

Finding Integrators Who Collaborate Well

Not every technology integrator is suited to a design-forward partnership. Look for integrators who understand documentation, coordination and respect for design intent. The HTA Design Partner designation was created to help designers identify integrators who have opted into guidelines centered on collaboration and design alignment. Behind that designation is extensive work by the Home Technology Association to define shared expectations, workflows and communication standards that help designers and integrators operate as a cohesive team. 

The goal is not to turn designers into technologists or integrators into interior designers. It is to create a shared process where aesthetics and performance support each other from the start. Partnering with the right integrator and adopting a technology-proactive mindset helps reduce change orders while protecting design intent.

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The new disposal was engineered to be quiet, safe and uncloggable. It is available in unexpected colorways like kumquat, avocado and marshmallow, which are paired with refined hardware finishes. 

By keeping food waste out of the trash, Composer One offers a more sustainable approach to kitchen cleanup.

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Several new products deliver both functionally and aesthetically — from the expanded duo-tone Groove Duet to the freshly launched  Mirage Textured Tiles with a peel-and-stick backing. 

With its refined two-tone effect, Groove Duet V10 pairs acoustic performance with visual nuance, offered in grounded colorways, like sage drift or soft neutrals including hushed stone and iron grove, that integrate easily into modern interiors.

The complementary V11 model employs the same two-tone effect with a more rectangular design. Notable colorways include a cool blue tone called denim gray and a brilliant blueish green called peacock. V1 and V12, both with similarly geometrically interesting patterns, come in the same colorways.

These Peel and Stick backing of the Mirage Textured Tiles makes for easy post-occupancy installation, minimizing construction impacts like adhesive odors. The colors include a woody brown, an earthy green and a stone-like shade of purple, as well as a range of other calming tones. The patterns are: Aodamo (a wood-like facade), Cambium (a cork-like facade), Terrazzo (mosaic tile design), Loom (a cloth-like facade), Calcutta (a visually interesting stone design) and Grasscloth (a natural surface inspired design).

Acoustic Timber applies the natural look of wood to Autex’s broad range of acoustics. A selection of premium woodgrains taken from real timber veneers are digitally printed on ceiling tiles, panels or baffles to combine organic elegance with acoustic performance. This collection provides acoustic benefits and meets rigorous seismic requirements. The available colorways come in bright hues of yellow, bright greens and cool grays.

The Stone Finishes collection offers a refined, natural stone aesthetic for both walls and ceilings, delivering timeless appeal without compromising acoustic performance. This ceiling and wallcovering solution also comes in a dynamic array of colors including empress green, rojo alicante S6 and Carrara, simple white-colored stone.

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Above photo: In this project, my clients didn’t want to actually see the technology. Barely visible are a keypad on either side of the cabinets and a hidden outlet in the backsplash. Photo credit: Adam Gibson Photography

Futureproof Early

Technology provides an edge when it comes to comfort, luxury and aesthetics, and an integrator is clutch for comprehensive, detailed infrastructure. If you are not already connected to a quality integrator, now is the time to make a new best friend. Many designers make the mistake of introducing an integrator too late in the design process. It should happen as soon as your floor plan is near completion; in other words, at the beginning of the project, well before construction is scheduled.

Plan for future wiring needs within the walls. Cat-6 is sufficient today, but higher-bandwidth systems are coming fast. Explain that running conduit to the control areas is an inexpensive way to reduce client anxiety and protect their investment. Don’t believe the myth that wireless can cover everything. It does not.

Where to Start

If the client prefers tech spoon-feeding rather than overwhelm, begin in high-use spaces where small advancements make a significant impact: kitchens and baths. You can pick and choose which elements to provide based on priority.

Maybe a bathroom could benefit from voice-controlled privacy blinds, but would the clients get more out of smart shower controls with personalized presets, maintaining temperature until entering and conserving water? Rather than a kitchen filled with rarely used gadgets, perhaps an oven that sends a phone alert to prevent overcooking would have better use.

Small, purposeful applications often have greater everyday value than whole-home systems. The goal isn’t to automate everything, it’s to solve problems, add convenience and improve comfort where it counts.

Smarter Illumination

As a lighting and longevity-in-design advocate, I consider comprehensive lighting plans essential. We’ve moved far beyond the century-old door-jamb switch. Touchless sensors are common, apps and single-gang keypads are replacing switch banks, and integrators streamline the process by handling control systems while designers handle layout and intent.

Lights matching our circadian rhythms and hidden task lights in drawers, toe kicks or below countertops work together to enhance mood and functionality. Countertop task lighting often requires 100 footcandles, especially for those with aging eyes. Dimmers, anyone?

The Spa-Bath Revolution — a Playground for Smart Home Tech

Bathrooms have become test labs for wellness and experience-driven tech:

• Digital showers with personalized profiles, warm-up modes and steam integration
• Smart mirrors with presets, anti-fog or embedded screens
• Heated floors that learn routines
• Bidet toilets with hygienic, comfort-focused features
• Add chromatherapy tubs, aromatherapy steam, waterproof speakers and mirror TVs, and the bathroom becomes a true sensory retreat.

All the above come with apps, and with planning, an integrator can do what they’re called to: combine everything into a connected, easy-to-understand ecosystem that enriches our clients’ lives.

Being the Educator

Motion- and voice-activated appliances, faucets, lighting and electronics add delight, charm and even playfulness to spaces once viewed as purely functional. Designers must stay informed – not to push technology but to integrate it wisely and purposefully.

The shift isn’t about gadgets, it’s about lifestyle. When done well, clients remember how your design made them feel long after they’ve forgotten their Wi-Fi password.

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This latest innovation and 2026 Best of KBIS finalist was previewed at KBIS 2026 and will officially launch this summer. 

Built seamlessly into the cabinetry, the InFocus Drawer provides phones with a dedicated home, bringing family and friends back into the present moment. Devices are placed out of sight and wirelessly charged using FreePower’s award-winning, anywhere-on-the-surface technology. The result is a subtle but powerful shift toward less scrolling, fewer interruptions and more meaningful relationships. 

The idea behind InFocus originated at Fabuwood, where leadership introduced an internal practice of removing phones from meetings. This intentional act consistently led to better focus, deeper collaboration and stronger human connection. That philosophy evolved into the InFocus movement, a distraction-free framework extended into the heart of the home through the InFocus Drawer. 

By pairing thoughtful cabinetry design with intuitive technology, the InFocus Drawer creates a clear behavioral cue. When people gather for meals, conversations or celebrations, phones go in the drawer for undivided attention.

The drawer’s clean, integrated aesthetic keeps devices hidden while charging, and a refined exterior medallion serves as a quiet reminder of intention, encouraging active connection.

While families are a natural use case, the InFocus Drawer is designed for anyone who values presence at home. This includes hosts welcoming friends, couples sharing meals or households looking to reclaim everyday moments from digital noise. By reframing the home as a space for human connection rather than constant notification, the InFocus Drawer offers a practical, repeatable response to device distraction.

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Featuring dual USB Type-C ports with Power Delivery, the outlet delivers up to 65 watts per port, providing fast, reliable charging for laptops, tablets and smartphones. Compatible laptops can charge from 0 to 50% in less than 45 minutes, allowing users to plug directly into the wall and eliminate bulky power adapters for a cleaner, more streamlined look. The Adorne 65W USB Type-C Outlet pairs premium design with category-leading charging performance, delivering speeds not offered by competitive outlets available on the market today. 

The outlet features an industry-exclusive charging status indicator light, which glows yellow while a device is actively charging and turns green when the battery is sufficiently charged. For added convenience and security, Legrand’s signature tamper-resistant black invisi-shutters blend seamlessly into the device face while protecting against improper insertion of foreign objects. The outlet is UL Listed and includes built-in protection against juice jacking, helping safeguard both devices and sensitive data when used in public or shared environments.

Designed for versatility, the outlet is available in multiple configurations, including 15A, 20A and USB-only versions to suit a variety of residential and commercial applications. It installs in a standard electrical box and pairs with more than 40 Adorne Wall Plate colors and finishes across materials including glass, metal and wood, empowering designers and homeowners to create a cohesive, elevated aesthetic throughout the home.

Ideal for high-traffic spaces like kitchens, living rooms, home offices, boutique commercial and hospitality spaces, the outlet complements other advanced devices in the Adorne Collection, including dimmers, pop-out outlets, smart lighting controls and integrated night lights. The collection is designed to let designers mix and match devices and finishes for a cohesive look throughout the space.

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Available in 8- and 10-in. wall-mount and tabletop models in black and white finishes, the 80 Series is designed to blend seamlessly into luxury residences, MDUs, hospitality suites and marine environments while providing fast, reliable access to lighting, climate, AV, shading, security and more.

The 80 Series lineup is the result of continuous engineering refinement, delivering Crestron’s fastest and most responsive touch screen experience to date. Built on the company’s long-proven platform, the 80 Series ensures smooth navigation, instant feedback and rock-solid reliability, whether a homeowner is activating a “Goodnight” scene, adjusting climate or managing the entire home’s AV from a single interface. 

Native integration with Crestron Home OS provides a familiar, intuitive interface across every room. Homeowners, guests and family members can easily access scenes, schedules and controls without unlocking a mobile device or switching between apps, making the experience more accessible for children, guests and users of any technical ability. 

The 80 Series is designed to adapt to any project, from new construction to retrofit upgrades. With both PoE+ and Wi-Fi connectivity, dealers can choose the right option for each space, simplifying design and installation while minimizing disruption to finished interiors. Wall-mounted and tabletop configurations make it easy to place touchscreens where they are most useful — on a kitchen backsplash, beside the bed, in a media room, on a desk or in an entryway. 

Smarter Sensing and Crystal-Clear Communication

The 80-Series introduces Crestron’s most advanced radar-based proximity detection to date, so the touch screen wakes instantly as someone approaches. A newly positioned ambient light sensor automatically adjusts screen brightness for perfect visibility in any lighting condition, from bright daylight in the kitchen to dim evening light in a bedroom or theater.

Dramatically improved microphones and speakers deliver superior paging and intercom clarity throughout the home, making room-to-room communication more natural and dependable. A new physical microphone on/off button with an LED indicator provides instant privacy assurance for homeowners and guests. 

With minimalist lines, slim profiles, and black or white finishes, the 80 Series is designed to complement a wide range of interior styles. The touch screens recede visually into the environment while still providing a tactile focal point for control. 

For luxury residential, MDU, hospitality and marine projects, the 80 Series provides a consistent, premium control experience across multiple properties and spaces. Dealers benefit from a single, flexible family of touch screens that can be deployed across projects with confidence, backed by Crestron’s longstanding leadership in dedicated control. 

Touch Screen Availability

The Crestron 80 Series Touch Screens for residential applications are expected to be available globally beginning Q2 2026 through authorized Crestron residential dealers and partners.

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Featuring a screw-free installation system, these motorized window treatments deliver a clean, tailored look in white or gray fabrics with sleek aluminum trim. Controlled via the Matter app or a remote control included with each shade purchase, GE smart shades are available in blackout or light-filtering options and can integrate seamlessly with Matter-enabled platforms for voice and app control to set automated schedules that enhance comfort, privacy and energy efficiency.

Providing effortless smart control, users can operate shades with the included remote or through Matter Thread and connect to Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home and Samsung SmartThings. Options include blackout fabrics for room-darkening privacy or light-filtering shades that softly diffuse daylight for a customized experience. Multiple width options are available to fit windows up to 76 inches tall.

Whisper-quiet operation is powered by a high-efficiency motor. The small magnetic rechargeable battery lasts up to six months per charge and is easy to recharge while in place.

White or black aluminum frames pair with blackout or translucent fabric options in soft gray or white. The smart shades’ design features no visible hardware, creating a clean, architectural look that complements modern interiors and can be installed in minutes. They are expertly assembled in the U.S. with durable aluminum trim and performance fabrics for dependable use.

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Designed for seamless smart home integration, Aura Reach works with all major Matter-enabled platforms, including Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home, and is fully compatible with both iPhone and Android devices. The Kwikset app provides education and guided onboarding into a smart home platform of choice. A smart home assistant can intelligently control the lock from anywhere, trigger other devices with lock actions and enable helpful automations that keep a home secure. 

Aura Reach offers a range of intelligent features that make everyday access easier. The backlit keypad intelligently illuminates as users approach, while Bluetooth and geofence technology automatically unlock the door for a hands-free experience. The dual connectivity feature allows homeowners to use Bluetooth for direct local control or connect via Matter for multi-platform compatibility and reliable communication over Thread. Through the Kwikset app, users can manage up to 250 unique access codes, track entry history and receive alerts for invalid code attempts. 

The lock also features Kwikset’s patented SmartKey Security, allowing users to rekey the lock in seconds and providing protection against advanced break-in techniques. An optional Signal Range Boost doubles Matter network performance, enhancing reliability throughout the home. Installation is simple with an interactive, step-by-step guide, and only a screwdriver is needed. 

Backed by Kwikset’s 80 years of trusted expertise, Aura Reach combines modern smart home compatibility with mechanical security, featuring an ANSI/BHMA Grade 2 certified deadbolt and durable satin nickel and matte black finishes with a lifetime finish warranty.

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Demonstrating Household Automation in a Real-World Home Setting

At CES 2026, the company will show LG CLOiD operating in diverse home environments. In one scenario, the robot retrieves milk from a refrigerator and places a croissant into an oven to prepare breakfast. After household occupants leave, LG CLOiD initiates laundry cycles and folds and stacks garments after drying. These tasks display LG CLOiD’s ability to understand the user’s lifestyle and precise appliance control

Hardware Designed for Operation in Living Spaces

LG CLOiD consists of a head unit, torso with two articulated arms and a wheeled base equipped with autonomous navigation. The torso can tilt to adjust its height, enabling the robot to pick up objects from knee level and above.

Each arm has seven degrees of freedom, matching the mobility of a human arm. The shoulder, elbow and wrist allow forward, backward, rotational and lateral motion, while each hand includes five independently actuated fingers for fine manipulation. This configuration allows LG CLOiD to handle a wide range of household objects and operate in kitchens, laundry rooms and living areas.

The wheeled base uses autonomous driving technology derived from LG’s experience with robot vacuums and the LG Q9. This form factor was selected for stability, safety and cost-effectiveness, with a low center of gravity that reduces the risk of tipping if a child or pet makes contact.

LG CLOiD’s Head as a Mobile AI Home Hub

The head functions as a mobile AI home hub. It is equipped with a chipset – which functions as LG CLOiD’s brain – a display, a speaker, cameras, various sensors and voice-based generative AI. Collectively, these elements allow the robot to communicate with humans through spoken language and “facial expressions,” learn the living environments and lifestyle patterns of its users and control connected home appliances based on its learnings.

Vision-Based Physical AI: VLM and VLA

At the core of LG CLOiD is the company’s Physical AI technology, which combines:

• Vision Language Model (VLM) — converts images and video into structured, language-based understanding
• Vision Language Action (VLA) — translates visual and verbal inputs into physical actions

These models have been trained on tens of thousands of hours of household task data, enabling LG CLOiD to recognize appliances, interpret user intent and execute context-appropriate actions such as opening doors, or transferring objects.

Integration with ThinQ and ThinQ ON

LG CLOiD’s capabilities expand significantly through its integration with LG’s smart home ecosystem, including the AI Home Platform ThinQ and Hub ThinQ ON. This seamless connectivity allows LG CLOiD to orchestrate a wider range of services across LG’s various appliances.

LG Actuator AXIUM: Robotics Components for Physical AI

Alongside the home robot, LG is introducing LG Actuator AXIUM, a new brand of robotic actuators for service and robots.

An actuator serves as a robot’s joint, integrating a motor that generates rotational force, a drive that controls electrical signals and a reducer that regulates speed and torque. As one of the most critical and cost-intensive components in a robot, actuators are widely regarded as a strategic upstream technology in the emerging era of Physical AI.

LG has accumulated world-class component technology through its market-leading home appliance business. This expertise in component technology is expected to be the foundation for delivering key competitive advantages in actuators, such as lightweight and compact design, high efficiency and high torque. In addition, LG’s modular design technology enables customizing, multi-variety production that is necessary for manufacturing advanced robots, which require dozens of types of actuators.

Roadmap Toward AI-Driven Homes

LG plans to continue developing home robots with practical functions and forms for housework. Simultaneously, the company will expand the application of its accumulated robotics technology to home appliances, creating categories such as Appliance Robots like robot vacuums, and Robotized Appliances like refrigerators with doors that open automatically as a person approaches. The ultimate goal is to create an AI Home where housework is entrusted to AI appliances and home robots, allowing people to rest, enjoy themselves and spend their time on more valuable activities.

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He’s recently put together a list of what he calls “surging and emerging” applications that the design-build community can and should seize as opportunities – and he’s keen on helping builders of single-family homes to leverage these applications to create better experiences for their clients – and bigger profits for their firms. “What I call ‘surging and emerging’ is a mix of the here-and-now and the aspirational, meaning it’s a blend of my encouraging the design-build community to hurry up on applications that are already mainstream – or tech for them to ‘get ahead of the pack’ on,” he says.

Top Tech Trends for the Home

• Whole Home Audio/Video
• Lighting Tech
• Smart Social Kitchen
• Smart Home Security
• “Network Robustus”
• Work from Home (including content creation)
• Health and Wellness
• Smart Power
• Sleep Tech
• Smart Water
• Outdoor Content, Control and more

Whole Home Audio/Video

“One of the things that I’m constantly reminding builders of is an American time-use study that the Bureau of Labor Statistics does,” says Galante. “Their data reveals that the number one thing people do at home in terms of time consumption is sleep. The number two thing they do is watch TV. But because of the margins on televisions and the trade dynamics, builders haven’t shown much interest in showing a lot of live TVs in their model homes.” Galante feels that helping the buyer imagine the perfect TV viewing experience could be a big help.

Those TVs need audio, and clients often want a better experience than a built-in TV speaker could ever provide. “A surround-sound system doesn’t need to be nestled in the wallboard and sold on the front end,” he says. “The buyer can only make so many decisions during the initial process. But a buyer is eventually going to purchase a TV and likely look for an audio system for that TV – so why wouldn’t you, as a builder, present some of the options and mediate the sale at whatever point that takes place?

Lighting Tech Trends

“We still have work to do in the luxury market in terms of helping builders – and their clients –understand all of the different facets of lighting design,” says Galante. “I’m not sure we’re all quite aware of the growing demand for these solutions, and we need to have the right collaboration process in place to deliver for the client.” Understanding lighting design for the luxury client is something we tackled on the Crestron blog back in August of 2024, with a post that opened:

One of the first questions David Burya asks his clients is:

“Where is a place you have been that you never wanted to leave?”

Burya, the design principal and chief strategy officer for Tirschwell & Co. Architectural Lighting Design, explains what happens next.

“In the 10 seconds after that – this is what I need to know – peoples’ minds are awash with memories of places and people and stimuli that are rich with desire,” he says. “In a way, we are creating future memories by designing toward impeccable desires. People come to us to design their dream home; why would we not start with their dreams?”

What Burya’s driving at is something that architects, designers, and technology integrators understand: A space or a system is much more than imported marble or high-end audio gear. It’s the intuitive skill of combining all those elements to create a truly human experience.

But these solutions are hardly exclusive to high-end homes. “We’re trying to get the semi-custom builders to understand how much smart lighting is desired by the customer. The good news? The technology is relatively easy to deploy.”

Smart Social Kitchen

“I’ve seen demos from many manufacturers, and the smart cooking stuff, the precision cooking hardware, and the devices that link to ingredients and recipes – it’s all amazing,” says Galante. “There’s software that knows what’s in your refrigerator and what you need to buy for a recipe and offers one-touch ordering of those ingredients – or the system being aware of what ingredients you have on hand and suggesting recipes to you – this is cool stuff.”

The problem is that these solutions have been presented as a list of technical features that a lot of consumers may find bewildering. “We have to couple all of this marvelous technology with the social aspects of the kitchen,” says Galante. “Cooking is often a social undertaking, whether with family or friends. Now imagine a connected kitchen in which cooks can be their own Julia Child and have their own little network and bring people in virtually, and we could start to vibrantly share some of these new cooking experiences in particular.”

Smart Home Security Tech Trends

“What’s interesting is that the big builders – those in the billion-dollar-plus range – are on the leading edge of offering tech solutions,” says Galante. “And the big builders – 93% of them, by our research – have some kind of smart home security offer.” That includes keyless locks, video doorbells, automated switches to exterior lights (including along paths of access and egress) and more.

“Those are the core features, and most volume builders have something in that regard,” he explains. “Many of them have upgrade paths for more light switches and more articulation on the security side of things with interior and exterior cameras and such. That’s the number one category. Now, whether that’s all installed and built-in as part of the mortgage or whether it arrives on the back end as an attachment sale – that’s a jump ball. Builders have swung back and forth on their preferences for that.” Galante sees emerging growth strategies for security systems that include more video features. “Drones, exterior cameras – there’s no such thing as too much video surveillance from a security perspective, and I think we’ll see more builders investing in higher-end security.”

“Network Robustus” Tech Trends

“Network Robustus” is a catchphrase that Galante has coined for a very specific purpose: “I’m trying to get a reset on what standard network infrastructure should be in a new home and what the ‘performance plus’ features are.” Getting enough bandwidth into a home is becoming increasingly critical, and ensuring that a home has enough hardwired infrastructure to support a growing number of wireless access points is a must.

“We need these networks because we consume massive amounts of media and information in homes,” Galante explains. “They’re essential infrastructure for many of the smart home features in the house. We’ve got to have quality Wi-Fi as an underpinning for many of these devices as they’re communicating with each other, and we need builders to move away from the default position of settling for whatever wireless internet is available – and whatever speed the ISP provides as standard.”

Work from Home Tech Trends

“The old saying goes: ‘You can win a buyer with a room,’” says Galante. “I’ve heard it applied to real estate and homebuilding, too.” Galante notes that the “winning room” has often been the perfect kitchen for the client, but the right remote workspace can be a winner, too. “I’m encouraging builders to think about these spaces holistically and consider technology, room design, and even furniture.” The right lighting helps one look good on camera, the needed bandwidth for effective communication and collaboration is a must, and ergonomic desks and chairs are incredibly helpful. “Builders need to do more than suggest converting an extra bedroom into an office – show how it can be done in a fully-featured, fully-merchandised way in model homes and virtual presentations.”

That remote gig – whether full or part-time – may be content creation, and that likely requires an even greater focus on specialized technology and furnishings. A recording artist’s mixing board and monitor speakers need the right workstation, an influencer or video podcaster needs the perfect background, and so on. (A note: Pop star Billie Eilish’s debut album was produced in her brother’s bedroom studio – the same space where the two of them wrote the music for that hit release.)

Health and Wellness Tech Trends

While there’s a huge bucket of technologies that can fit into this category, Galante is focused on some specifics. “Air quality is something that builders are really embracing,” he says. “If we’re going to create energy efficiency by building very tight envelopes, we’re not going to get the ambient air exchange that we’ve had historically, so we need to bring fresh air in. When we’re talking about bigger houses, that needs to be done in an energy-efficient way – we can have a lot of fans blowing that don’t need to be blowing.” Smart automation that handles different zones of a home is a terrific solution, but there’s more, says Galante. “We want to modulate humidity, and of course, we want to purify the air – remove the allergens, viruses, and bacteria.”

Water purification fits into this segment, as does lighting, which may help with better sleep. And there’s another aspect of the wellness solution that gets overlooked, according to Galante: proper sound treatments. “I think acoustic design is critical,” he says. High ceilings and hard edges must be mitigated somehow, whether through diffusion, absorption, or even audio systems with proper digital signal processing. “Oppressive audio conditions aren’t good for anyone,” he says. Additionally, ensuring that the tech is highly reliable is a mental health benefit, according to Galante. “How are we relieving stress with technology and not causing stress?” he asks. To that end: “When we’re offering these solutions to homeowners, let’s be sure we’re offering them emotional, benefit-oriented solutions, and not a laundry list of technical features.”

Smart Power

“As more and more electric vehicles are purchased, 80% of the charging takes place at home,” notes Galante. “When vehicle charging exceeds the capacity of the traditional lines fed into the house, there’s going to be more investment in solar and storage. It’s ‘Wild Wild West’ time right now, but builders recognize this as a whole new category where they can make money.”

The notion of energy efficiency – and generation – can serve as a differentiator between existing homes and new builds. “Buyers will be asking, ‘Can I generate electricity? Can I not only save on my utility bills for the house but the fuel bills for cars?’” he says. “We’re seeing all sorts of strategies there. Some builders are just ready for smart power with the right infrastructure, and the attachments come later. Some of them have good methods for providing the attachments. A lot of it is locally market-driven based on tax incentives and code requirements in specific markets, but that’s a growth category.”

Sleep Tech Trends

Galante notes that lighting has a huge impact, especially when he breaks it down into the three big attendant questions: “How do you go to sleep? How do you stay asleep? How do you wake up? You need to think of it in all of those aspects.” Yes, circadian lighting is helpful, and yes, automated sensors that only bring light up by 10% or 20% should one need to use the bathroom at 4 a.m. are vital, but understanding how shading can play into this aspect (and every other part and function of a home) is vital, too.

Beyond the right bed, the right light and the right climate, there’s another component that helps with sleep solutions. “It’s the indoor air quality,” Galante explains. “I think indoor air quality is, by the way, very important in work-from-home as well. If you’re spending eight hours in a single room, working or sleeping, and you don’t have good air in that space, it’s a big issue. Things like mini-splits can be deployed in some of these spaces where you really want direct control of the air quality.”

Smart Water Tech Trends

When he’s asked if “smart water” refers to purification, smart plumbing, leak detection or conservation, Galante’s answer is all of the above. “First, having clean water to drink and bathe in – with proper filtration and so on – is an easy sell for any builder who’s looking for technology solutions that would help sell a property.” Beyond that, as leak detection systems improve – namely, offering fewer false positives – demand will increase as well (and it’s worth noting that one of the biggest drivers of home insurance claims is water damage from plumbing issues). Both of those factors tie into wellness – purification, obviously, but the mental well-being from truly smart plumbing can’t be overlooked.

There’s also growing demand for solutions that conserve and preserve this vital resource. “Whether it’s gray-water systems or automated irrigation, there’s critical demand there – and, in some locations, that demand is driven by local laws. You can’t build a home in Phoenix if you don’t address the water consumption issue. It’s about conserving and distributing with intelligence.”

Outdoor Content, Control and More

Outdoor spaces – for cooking, for entertaining, for relaxing, for watching a movie – have evolved as “bonus rooms” over the past several years. “The really interesting thing for the technology industry is I think the builders get that tech is integral to creating interesting experiences outside,” says Galante. The problem is that many builders don’t know what may be available, from weather-resistant TVs to subwoofers that can be partially buried in the ground. “These players are pretty new,” he says. “With the national and regional builders, the tech industry needs to figure out how to work with them on their model homes and figure out what the asset base is to help them in the digital design center or physical design center to sell these things.

“Just like everything else we’ve spoken about, it’s a matter of taking all of these solutions and blending them into a holistic, experiential presentation that makes it easy for the client to visualize that dream home – and then help them achieve it.”

—Ed Wenck, Senior Content Writer, Crestron

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