6 Smart Home Technologies to Include in Your Custom Home

The ever-growing sphere of smart technology has dominated lifestyle trends for the last decade. Where houses used to be a veritable blind spot of digital inactivity (beyond a home computer, perhaps), custom home technology is now dominating industry platforms. Check out these smart home ideas you don't want to miss.

#1 Consolidation  

Today's complex custom smart home systems can take once-separate entities (heating and air, security, lights, speakers, televisions) and integrate them onto a single touchscreen. View this example where a homeowner can access and control ten subsystems from a single screen, including lights, video, audio, cameras, front gate, and television screens. Imagine heating the pool for an evening swim or adjusting the volume on an upstairs television with the tap of a finger! 

#2 Digital Assistants   

Modern smart homes use Alexa and other digital assistants for everything from ordering pizza to playing Mozart. With Google and Amazon competing for top status, these products' commands and interfaces have become more convenient and user-friendly than ever. More importantly, these tech mammoths are adding voice assistants to other products throughout the home—on toys, televisions, and toilets. Yes, toilets.

#3 Home Security

Forget about regular old video cameras; tech companies now have their sights set on a wave of upgraded products to keep you and your family safe, perfect for aging-in-place homes. While the demand for video doorbells will continue to rise, sleeker versions (with high-resolution capabilities) are popping up. And if a view of the front door doesn't keep you secure, consider a drone security guard, smart lock, or home monitoring product with artificial intelligence characteristics. 

Some smart home designs also let you monitor your home and control home security remotely. They include the ability to lock and unlock your doors and windows with the touch of your phone! With this added convenience, you can let someone into your home even if you're all the way across town. It's a lifesaver if your family members lose their keys often or accidentally lock them inside! 

Convenience is just one benefit of a smart home security system; the other is peace of mind. You know that nagging feeling you get when you leave the house? The little voice that keeps whispering that you forgot to lock the door? A remotely controlled security system dissolves those worries. You can check if you locked up and, if you didn't, remedy the problem instantly. Smart security systems even notify the authorities for you if there's a fire or break-in, reducing response times. 

#4 Energy Efficiency

More and more homeowners want energy efficiency — not just for their wallets but for our planet. Up-and-coming systems can manage your home's power with sustainability and productivity. For example, companies are creating off switches that eliminate the standby power an appliance consumes even when not in use. This energy suck is said to account for five percent of U.S. consumption. Other energy-focused arrangements can shut down the refrigerator for short periods, slowing use while maintaining food's freshness. 

Smart thermostats are one of the most popular energy-efficient products on the market. Though they may seem like a boring utility, they can be a major luxury. Some smart thermostats learn your schedule and adjust your home temperature accordingly; having your thermostat turn off your heating or cooling when no one's home can save you tons of money in the longer run. Plus, you can program your device with your personal temperature preferences, so your home is always comfortable.

#5 High-Tech Appliances

The computerized refrigerator is definitely one of the coolest new pieces of technology out there. With a transparent glass door, built-in computer screen, and Amazon Alexa speaker, this handy gadget could show you recipes while you check fridge compartments for ingredients. 

#6 Hidden Devices

While you want to use certain devices, you may not always want to see them. For this reason, homeowners are looking for products that can hide a large-screen T.V. when it's not in use, for example. Be it a display that drops from the ceiling or pops from a chest at the foot of the bed, these implements reveal the screen when you want it and disguise it when you don't.

Creating Your Smart Home 

Whether you're building a smart home from the ground up or updating your home with new gadgets, you can achieve your smart home construction goals with GTG Builders. Our designers and architects help you create a technologically advanced home that integrates seamlessly and improves your life endlessly.

Get the newest tech today with the smart home builders at GTG Builders.