International Copper Association Australia

  • About ICAA
    • Projects
    • Partners
    • Global Copper Associations
    • Contact Us
  • News
    • Featured
    • General
    • John’s Blog
    • Innovation
    • Mining
    • Clean Energy
    • Net Zero
    • Health
    • Smart Wiring
    • Plumbing
  • Benefits of Copper
    • Air Quality
    • Electrical Safety
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Food Supply
    • Green Building
    • Human Health
    • Electric Vehicles
    • Sustainable Development
    • Recycling
    • Renewable Energy
  • Wiring
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing

Are Builders Ready For Smarter Homes?

Australia’s Tech Dilemma

Australians are keen on technology, especially at home, but the country’s broadband is just not cutting it apparently.  Well that’s the only conclusion you can draw from a bunch of…

Read More

Microbial Mining

A new copper leaching discovery suggests biotech-driven mining solutions could soon recover critical minerals, reduce waste and enhance sustainability. A critical minerals platform startup, Endolith, has successfully demonstrated that its…

Read More

The Clean Energy Election?

The return of a Labor Government is also being hailed as an endorsement of Australia’s remarkable renewables journey, but there’s still a long way to go. A lot of issues…

Read More

World Copper Supply & Demand Shifts

The world’s copper market is expected to see a significant surplus over the next two years says the latest forecast from the International Copper Study Group (ICSG). The Group said…

Read More

May 10, 2016 · General

Builders are key to what actually ends up in a home, but how well do they know technology?

It’s a question I’ve often worried about.

So its heartening to see a big home builder survey out of the states showing that companies there are not only offering more home technology options, but reporting that they’re actually installing them at higher rates too.

The big news is that over two thirds of builders are now offering features like intelligent lighting, multi room audio, automation and energy management. It’s even higher for monitored security, home cinema and, the number one offering, structured wiring-or smart wiring as we know it here.

All home tech categories have kept rising over the last five years, but some like intelligent lighting and home automation have basically doubled.

It’s a similar story for installation rates. Structured wiring is by far the biggest business for builders doing home tech, but all categories have seen rises in five years, especially intelligent lighting, home automation and energy management.

The key thing I think from all this is that today’s homebuyers are very comfortable with technology, happy to play around with it, demand it, and want it to show off to their friends and save time. And clearly builders are hearing the message, well at least in the States.

Is it the same here? I’ve met most of Australia’s home builders over the last decade, from the biggest to some of the smallest, and I can tell you from experience that their embrace of home technology has been, in most cases, a cautious one.

At the high end of the market the smart home argument is however, now well and truly won I can tell you that, with clients demanding state of the art technology and the best builders delivering what they want.

Ben Green, Push by Schneider Electric’s General Manager, recently did a blog confirming that homeowners are now getting behind smart home tech here, predicting that smart appliances, entertainment, sensors, and remote control apps will all be big this year.

Builders I hope you thinking the same.

John Fennell, CEO International Copper Association Australia

Study: http://www.cepro.com/article/percentage_of_new_homes_with_lighting_control_doubles_over_2_years/CTA

Ben blog: http://about.homely.com.au/blog/2016/2/2/smart-home-automation-trends-for-2016

Featured

Australia’s Tech Dilemma

Australians are keen on technology, especially at home, but the country’s broadband is just not cutting it apparently.  Well that’s…

Read More

Microbial Mining

A new copper leaching discovery suggests biotech-driven mining solutions could soon recover critical minerals, reduce waste and enhance sustainability. A…

Read More

The Clean Energy Election?

The return of a Labor Government is also being hailed as an endorsement of Australia’s remarkable renewables journey, but there’s…

Read More

World Copper Supply & Demand Shifts

The world’s copper market is expected to see a significant surplus over the next two years says the latest forecast…

Read More

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and receive the latest credible and independent news from the collective industry.

Subscribe now

About ICAA

  • About ICAA
  • Projects
  • Partners
  • Global Copper Associations
  • Contact Us

Our Other Websites

  • The Copper Mark
  • Antimicrobial Copper
  • Australian Registered Cablers
  • Smart Wiring
International Copper Association Australia Limited
Suite 1A, Level 7, 100 William Street
Woolloomooloo, NSW 2011

E-mail: enquiries@copper.com.au
  • ICAAsiaPacific on Twitter
  • ICAA on LinkedIn
  • MMG Limited
  • Tyree Transformers
  • MM Kembla Copper
  • Ok Tedi Mining Limited
  • Evolution-Mining
  • Sandfire Resources NL
  • Glencore Australia
  • PanAust Limited
  • KEY Tubing & Electrical Pty Ltd
  • Aeris Resources
  • BHP
  • Cyprium Metals
© Copyright 2018 International Copper Association Australia Limited.