It had to happen. The growing popularity of the smart house has been further endorsed by a brand new category in the Auckland House of the Year Award. It’s called the Smart Home Award and it is not surprising to see it being introduced as home automation goes from being a futuristic notion to something that is a practical and functional reality in more and more New Zealand homes. 

Judges noted that smart home technology has become so popular that it warranted a special place within the awards. Importantly, they also acknowledged that this popularity has a lot to do with home automation becoming increasingly affordable. It has gone from being a rich person’s novelty to a very reasonably priced feature that makes life more comfortable, more relaxing, more enjoyable and a lot easier.

Judges were able to see home automation at its most useful as it controlled a wide range of day-to-day functions in a house. They observed how it optimises power use, such as lighting, heating and hot water, depending on whether or not the owner was at home and when they needed these utilities. At the same time, they saw how smart technology makes security devices far more effective than traditional methods, including the ability to monitor who is on the property even when the homeowner is not. They were just two examples of the smart home technology on display and it certainly made an impression. As one of the judges said:

"We've seen homes that automate opening blinds to capture morning sun, then have them automatically shut to lock in the heat in the evening. Further energy savings have also been captured by optimising the power use of devices, such as fridges and hot water cylinders, depending on whether the residents are away or at home."

Smart house technology, once thought of as being a futuristic concept out of the reach of most New Zealanders, is now becoming mainstream. Its inclusion in the House of the Year Awards confirms it. It’s exciting for us to be part of such a revolutionary industry and to design and install it in an increasing number of homes. The difference it makes in the areas of security, home comfort, energy efficiency, entertainment and general living is enormous, and so it’s worthy of its place in any home awards. If you’d like to bring all of those winning things to your home, contact us here at EAV and we’ll make it happen for you.