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Connected-home study reveals “key emerging areas of opportunity”
December 30, 2011 - The Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) says it has completed a research study that identifies “key emerging areas of opportunity” in the North American connected-home marketplace.
December 30, 2011 By Anthony Capkun
CABA’s “State of the Connected Home Market 2011” study analyzed the most-desired features for connected-home solutions, including communications, security, comfort and energy savings to determine how service providers and consumer electronics manufacturers can combine these features to improve consumer lifestyles.
Three household surveys were fielded, each corresponding with home energy management, entertainment and family interaction. 2400 surveys were conducted throughout North America to map consumer demography in terms of lifestyle, family dynamics, likely purchases and decision-making processes for new connected-home products and services.
The research found there has been a significant increase in appeal for these products since 2008, and that over 40% of Canadian and American consumers believe these technologies provide substantial benefits in terms of safety and security, energy savings and providing remote control over home functionality.
The study also examined the state of enabled networking technologies, such as high-speed Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Z-Wave and cloud computing to evaluate ways to improve adoption and improve consumer education.
“The research ultimately demonstrated to CABA Research Program participants how to make the benefits of connected home solutions clearer to their customers and updates channel approaches to more easily entice consumers to consider purchase of connected home solutions,” said Ronald J. Zimmer, CABA president & CEO.
Organizations participating in the study included: 3M Company; ADT Security Services; Best Buy Co. Inc.; Broan NuTone; BSH Home Appliances Corp.; Carrier Corp.; Consolidated Edison Co. of New York; GE Energy Services; Honeywell International; Hydro One Networks Inc.; IBM; Ingersoll Rand/Trane/Schlage; Landis+Gyr; Microsoft Corp; Moen Inc.; Pacific Gas & Electric Co.; Qualcomm; Schneider Electric; SecurTek Monitoring Solutions; Sempra Utilities; Shell; Southern California Edison Co; Telus Corp.; USNAP Alliance; Verizon Wireless; and Whirlpool Corp.
The report has been released to its funding partners, but will be made available for purchase to the rest of the industry after an embargo period.
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