One increasingly popular feature of the modern home is a security system that is capable of being monitored by the ho
The home office of the future will probably be considerably different from the home office in current houses. Modern
Incorporating technology into homes of aging people is one way to extend their autonomy and ability to remain in thei
Several years ago, when home computers came into wide use, consumers began to get into the habit of purchasing surge
Zero energy homes (ZEH), often called net-zero energy, or zero-use energy homes, have been receiving increased attent
Since before the invention of the incandescent light bulb, lighting in the home has been accomplished by the use of
Three relatively new technology trends are poised to come together in a number of new and exciting ways to enable
When thinking about energy conservation and alternative energy, it is sometimes a good idea to take stock of where we
Despite the development of a number of smart technologies for use in residential environments, consumers have been sl
A complete retrofit of an existing home to incorporate smart technologies for energy management and home automation c
Devices that continue to use power when they are turned off but not unplugged are known as “vampire” or “phantom” de
Cool weather and the arrival of the holidays in late fall and early winter have many consumers looking for both
The models used to bill consumers for monthly energy use are outdated and would not be acceptable in any other indust
Many consumers are under the impression that installing a media room requires a lot of space and expensive renovation
Many of us remember the home intercom systems that were around in the 1970’s, similar to the one shown in Figure 1.
Structured wiring is a term used to describe wiring used for purposes other than power distribution: network cables,
While the homebuilding industry has slowed considerably in the last three years, technology has continued to speed ah
In most countries throughout North America and Europe, building codes have been in place for decades, and address asp
For many consumers, electric bills are a significant monthly cost.
A recent survey in the United States by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) indicated that over 75% of
A day in the life of the retiree of the future might look quite different from what many of us have envisioned.
The use of electric heating in the home provides options for clean, energy
Net zero energy homes are in the news everywhere from Europe to the United States, with businesses l
The installation of smart meters in residential and commercial utility markets is key to establishin
Deregulation, or liberalisation, of the energy markets in recent years has frequently resulted in utility bills that
Smoke detector design has been a mature technology for a number of years, with either ionization or
The most recent addition to the array of residential lighting options is LED-based lighting.
A modern trend in home building and remodeling is to place lighting on the underside of kitchen cabinets.
One of the issues with compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) is the lack of ability to use CFL bulbs wi
Home lighting is one area where energy usage can be greatly reduced.
Conserving energy when it comes to residential lighting is becoming easier with new technologies and
With the increasing popularity of smart phones and other internet enabled devices, homeowners can no
Standard media receivers are usually designed to provide multi-room audio.
The latest in speaker technology has created a number of options for the homeowner or builder who wi
Radio has come a long way since the large “boom box” of the 1980’s.
First, it was the death of the family photo album, replaced by computer-based slide shows, digital frames, and free o
Home audio systems can be installed in new homes that are built with structured wiring syste
With the growing popularity of high quality flat-panel HDTV and 3D televisions, it is becoming obvious that audio sys
In the home of the future, smart home technologies will be integrated into the home during the construction phase.
The theatre rooms that have become so popular in home design and are dedicated to viewing movies, with associated the
A new trend in residential construction that is geared to meet the needs of future smart homes is the installation of
Most electric power markets across Europe and North America have either recently adopted smart electric meters, or pl