How Smart Home Technology Is Changing Architecture

In today’s world, smart architecture is more than just good design. Smart architecture combines client needs, smart technology and efficient design.

Smart home technology is one trend that is gaining momentum with designers, homeowners and the techie in all of us. From a fully integrated smart home system to various smart home gadgets, the industry is rapidly evolving and becoming a hub for creative concepts to help make homes more comfortable using the latest in technology.

Whether you’re an early adopter or believe smart technology could invite a host of new headaches into our most private spaces, connectivity and automation are coming for us all. We’re still in the beginning phases of a revolution in the way architecture is designed, built and used, from virtual-reality-enhanced concept development and robotic construction to new levels of hands-free home control with potential to improve the quality of many users’ lives.

A smart home is quite simply a home equipped with lighting, indoor climate control, and electronic devices that are all connected via Wi-Fi and can be controlled both onsite and remotely. Recent surveys illustrate the rapid adaptation of smart home products with more than a quarter of all consumers owning at least one device. This technology trend is largely driven by millennials who have embraced the technology.

Sometimes smart home technology can influence the overall form of the house – like the central wooden block that holds the “lifeline” of electric panels, air conditioning units, audiovisual systems and more within 42mm Architecture’s Pool House, pictured above – but often the effect is less visible from the outside.

A fully integrated smart home begins during the design phase of a new home. It integrates and controls everything within the home that runs on electricity from automatic lights, locks, shades and shutters and security cameras. The engineering of a fully integrated home is complex and requires a technology professional who is familiar with the system to be used in the home. These smart home engineers will work with architects and interior designers to ensure the wiring is available for control panels and switches and that there is adequate space for the ‘rack room’ or control room for the system. Not only must space be allocated but frequently additional cooling and back-up generators are required to keep the rack room operating efficiently.

As technology continues to evolve and it integrates into our homes, it’s important to remember the best smart technology is the one that works for you to make your home a more comfortable place.