The end of the year is a good moment to reflect. And with the incredibly fast developments within home automation, it is also very smart to do! In this retrospect, we tell you about the changes in the market since we started eight years ago, the latest home automation trends, what to keep an eye on when purchasing home automation products and how our changed services benefit you even more. In other words: the best practices in home automation.
From pioneer to authority
In 2014 Comfortica was founded by me, Kariem. When at a party, nobody back then understood what I did exactly. Home automation was something for the happy few and gadget nerds. Nowadays however, most households have some kind of domotics at home. One can easily create a home automation scene themselves when needed, while at the same time a lot of scenes are even pre-programmed. And discounters have their own home automation brand! Smart home automation really has developed at lighting speed over the past 8 years. And Comfortica has grown just as fast:
Being a pioneer, Comfortica has extensive knowledge about home automation protocols, like Z-Wave. These protocols gradually developed, what made the early years extra challenging and thus fun. The collaboration with external, non-home automation parties however was hard because they did not understand what it did and how it worked and therefore didn’t know what they had to do or change from their end. Waiting for a security company or internet provider could take days. Something no client wants.
That’s why we now manage processes and install networks, security, and camera systems ourselves. Since the technique behind, for instance access, access control in a home automation system and an alarm system are very similar, it only made sense. The foundation upon which any system is built is logic. And that is in our DNA.
Today, we are called in as an authority in the field of Z-Wave home automation and manage all kinds of projects, from building bespoke smart home systems for luxury villas or commercial buildings to smart home healthcare solutions. We are consulted by installers in the field. And, together with our partner Demo BV, we take part in an EU project for energy-efficient homes!
Home automation trends
At Comfortica we see that a technology push has been developed from consumer to business market. At home, people have all kinds of home automation applications, which makes people think ‘hey, I want this at work too.’ The most rewarding development however, I find is the shift to home automation applications and projects in healthcare. Many assisted living products or aids that can enhance independency, safety and confidence are very expensive and cannot be integrated. Home automation products, on the other hand, are much more affordable while offering the same, if not more, solutions. Being able to open the curtains or turn on the light, simply using their smartphone, really has a huge positive impact on people who otherwise would depend on someone else for this.
The three most remarkable trends I myself have noticed over the last year:
- Growing demand for security systems. It is statistically safer, yet people feel the opposite.
- Minimizing energy consumption was first the domain of people who value sustainability. Nowadays saving money is as much important, if not more.
- There is an increasing demand for home automation applications for multi-tenant buildings.
Risks
The rise of cheap home automation products is, on the one hand, great because home automation becomes accessible to more people. Downside is that cheap home automation products often don’t function properly or are not used properly. Wrongly giving home automation a bad name. Many people, for instance, don’t know cheap wireless domotics often works on the same frequency as WiFi. Or that you shouldn’t put a WiFi enhancer in the same wall outlet as a dimmer. These kinds of things have a negative effect on the functioning of your home automation system.
Something else you need to be aware of, is the fact that cheap cameras are often easily hacked. So, when you view live footage of your front door camera on your phone you, without realizing it, open up a ‘back door’ that gives access to your router and thus your home security system.
Best practices in home automation
It shouldn’t be a problem to install a home automation system or applications yourself, just remember with each purchase:
- How does it work?
- Does a new gadget affect the system?
- Can software be updated?
- Can it be integrated?
All kinds of different brands can negatively affect the stability of your system. Cheap gadgets often can’t be integrated as well, which means you end up with a different controller for each and every product. And who wants to have a gazillion apps on their phone to operate all the different smart home devices? That’s when smart becomes annoying! Therefore, choose wisely when purchasing a new home automation system and/or product using Comfortica’s best practices in home automation.
Favorite home automation gadgets
Finally, my favorite home automation gadgets: number 1 is the FIBARO Home Center 3. This home automation system is substantially easier and offers way more functionality. Favorite home automation gadget number 2: the face recognition device at my front door. This makes entering my house much easier with two little kids while carrying groceries!
A lot has changed in just 8 years, but there is no doubt home automation is here to stay. Want to make everyday life easier and more fun? Comfortica makes it happen using best practices in home automation.
