Original article by: Pro Builder
Homebuyer demand for smart technology has been on the rise for years, and if you have yet to embrace home tech, smart light switches are one of the best and easiest ways to do it. Here’s what you need to know.
Smart technology, and specifically lighting, can be one way for a home to offer a sustainable, modern, and accessible design—three trends that are huge right now and the foreseeable future, according to a new report from the New Home Trends Institute, a subsidiary of John Burns Real Estate Consulting.
Coldwell Banker’s 2018 Smart Home Marketplace Survey found 63% of the 2,000 homebuyers surveyed want a smart lighting system pre-installed into their new-home, yet only 24% already own a smart lighting system in their current home.
A 2019 survey from The National Association of Home Builders found 14% of homeowners currently have a smart lighting control system, but 36% would like to have it. Despite the majority of homeowners not currently utilizing these systems, they want them.
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What Type of Buyer Wants Smart Lighting?
Smart lighting can be one of the least complicated and intrusive forms of smart technology, and its capabilities can work for all types of buyers.
Specifically for the Millennial and Gen Z generations, smart technology is second nature.
“You have Millennials who are buying homes, you have Gen Zers who are renting homes, and these are people who are very, very tech-forward,” says Aaron Emigh, co-founder and CEO of Brilliant. “They’re looking for something modern and updated when they’re looking at a place to move into. And for them, modern means technology-enabled. There’s a great deal of demand for it.”
But that doesn’t mean smart technology, especially smart lighting, cannot be used for Boomers, Gen X, or the Silent Generation. Smart lighting can add a layer of accessibility, especially voice-controlled systems. If the design of a smart lighting system is clean and unobtrusive, it could be more welcomed.
“So many people today want to be able to age in place,” says Greg Rhoades, director of marketing at Leviton. “Being able to remain comfortable in your space, your home, for longer and being able to vocalize that as you enter a room or have it automated for you based upon your time of day and your general activities.”
Adding motion sensor functions or lighting schedules can lower energy consumption, and in turn, help the environment and lower a homeowner's electricity bill.
[ Read More: BRILLIANT BRINGS SMART TECH TO MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS ]
How Do I Pick a Smart Light Switch?
Deciding on a smart lighting system depends on the answers to a slew of questions:
- Is this a retrofit or new build?
- Will there be additional smart home technology in the home?
- What lighting capabilities does your target buyer want to control?
- Who is your target buyer?
- How does your target buyer want to control the system?
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Smart Dimmer Switch by Brilliant
Brilliant’s smart home system works with a wide array of partners, such as Sonos, Honeywell, Ring, Amazon Alexa, Hue, and more. Brilliant’s system is only available as a whole home system, meaning smart light controls are only the beginning. Lighting scenes for morning, dinner, or bedtime are also paired with music, temperature, and locks. Multiple Smart Dimmer Switches can be installed throughout the home to control lighting in any room. It works with smart bulbs and regular lights, and Brilliant offers several different switch panels and colors to choose from. These smart switches offer app, motion, and voice control.