- Around 7.8 million of homes in Australia will be 'smart homes' by 2026
- There are many myths surrounding smart homes
- Chris Kerr of Clipsal debunks these, and offers advice
It is no secret that home automation is making waves in Australia.
The number of active households in the smart home market is expected to reach around 7.8 million by 2026, according to a Statista report.
While homeowners are enjoying the lifestyle, energy efficiency and cost benefits of such technology, there are many myths and misconceptions surrounding these technologies.
Chris Kerr, Vice President of Home & Distribution at Clipsal by Schneider Electric, has debunked some of these myths.
“Smart home technology is continuously being developed with one goal in mind: to make home living easier and more comfortable,” he said.
“While it is fantastic to see so many people beginning to take advantage of the technology, there is a lot of misinformation, and misconception surrounding home automation that are preventing some Australians from giving it a go for themselves.”
Six smart home myths that aren’t true
1. My home is ‘too old’ for smart home tech
Mr Kerr noted that smart technology has developed immensely over the past few years. While some hardware solutions are required to be installed during the building phase, there are other ways such tech can be fully installed without needing the home to be rewired.
“Offers like Bluetooth control and our Clipsal Wiser Smart Home system can be easily retrofitted into an existing home and controlled via a smartphone app or voice control,” he said.
“With access to smart power points, temperature and humidity sensors, blind controllers and more, homeowners can easily customise their home with as little or as much technology as they need.”
2. I will have to automate all the lights in my home
There is no longer a one-size-fits-all approach, Mr Kerr argued, with homeowners now having flexibility in what they wish to automate.
“Whether it’s starting with a single light scheduled to turn on and off at certain times during the day or lights that automatically dim in a bedroom as the kids drift off to sleep, it’s about finding the automated solution that works best for your family and your lifestyle,” he said.
3. My house is too small to justify the cost
While historically smart home technology was reserved for the wealthy, more affordable products have entered the market catering all property sizes, he said.
Simple solutions can cost as little as a few hundred dollars, and thanks to the scalability of new offerings, more can always be added as needs and lifestyle changes,” said Mr Kerr.
4. New technology is too technical and complex to understand
Mr Kerr noted that smart home technology is designed to add peace of mind, comfort and convenience to your lifestyle, thus isn’t too complicated to operate.
“From blinds that automatically open as the sun rises, to the bathroom fan that turns on once humidity is detected, smart technology has been designed with the end user in mind.
“For those who aren’t so confident around technology, don’t let this deter you as a qualified electrician will show you how to navigate the app and set up the products to suit your needs. “
5. Smart technology chews too much energy
Mr Kerr argued that a major benefit if investing in quality smart home solutions is the elimination of wasted energy usage, given the user has complete control over when products are being used.
“Heated towel rails for instance can be controlled in three ways. The product can turn on upon humidity detection, set to turn on and off at set times, or through a timer. The same can be done for other appliances such as bathroom fans, heaters, lights, and more.
“Other energy sucking appliances such as washing machines, TVs and dishwashers can even be turned off completely when not in use to eliminate power consumption in standby mode.”
6. Smart technology is not cybersecure
Mr Kerr said this the notion that smart technology is not cybersecure can be eliminated by choosing a home automation system from a reputable supplier. When doing research, he said to ask a supplier for their security recommendations.
In the case of Clipsal, Mr Kerr said their productions follow a secure-by-design development lifecycle process that is certified to comply with the ISA/IEC 62443 cybersecurity standard.
“This certification warrants that cybersecurity is considered in every phase of product development. To ensure new threats are also protected against, products and systems are updated often, with solutions evolving as new risks arise,” he said.
