HVACR NewsMagazine

New Products & Innovations

The introduction of the Nest Learning Thermostat brought innovation to a component of the home that was previously overlooked by consumers and manufacturers - the thermostat. This has inspired manufacturers to create products to reinvigorate other forgotten areas of the home, such as connected light bulbs, like Phillips Hue or LIFX, door locks from Schlage and August or sprinkler systems such as Rachio or Orbit B-Hyve.

Movement to “Smart Homes” translates into smart business moves for HVAC contractors Today, a growing number of Americans open their front door and say, “I’m home.” Not to their family, but to their personal voice assistant, who opens the blinds, turns on the lights and sets the thermostat before the homeowner has even taken off their coat. The concept of the “Smart Home” wasn’t one that was even considered just 10

The sharp increase of connected products is good news for contractors -

years ago, but today it is a trend that is gaining traction. Most of the growth in the Smart Home category can be attributed to the introduction of the Nest Learning Thermostat and the rise of personal voice

over half of those who buy a connected device want that device professionally installed. (Greenough, 2015) This makes the connected category a lucrative opportunity for forward-

thinking contractors who are willing to step into the future of HVAC systems. Perhaps the most valuable way to

assistants, such as the Amazon Alexa or the Google Home, in the last five years. By 2020, more than 2.3 billion connected devices will be sold, and the majority of consumers want voice as the interface for their devices. (Laposky, 2017)

capitalize on this technology in the field is by adding connect products to a bid on a system replacement. Successful