Get Smart About HANs
May 27, 2010
When the housing market picks up again, all signs point toward a home-buying public that will be more techno-savvy than ever before. Today’s technology solutions pervade every aspect of consumers’ lives—from the cars they drive and the phones they use, to the houses they want to come home to. The past has shown technology grows exponentially, rather than vertically, so what can residential builders do to meet the demands of buyers now and in the future?
By offering the latest in IP-connected technologies and wireless HANs (home area networks), builders have a leg to stand on when they promise customers long-term value. Utility meters, thermostats, appliances, and electric vehicles are just a few examples of up-and-coming smart devices that will require a HAN to connect to the smart grid. As the number of ways to connect a home grows, builders that can offer “future proofing” options to buyers worried about becoming obsolete will be better off.
One organization making strides in connected home technology is the ZigBee Alliance, www.zigbee.org, San Ramon, Calif. The alliance drives and develops technology based around the ZigBee protocol, a wirelessly networked, sensing, and control standard for consumer electronics, energy, and the home.
A recent partnership with the IPSO (Internet Protocol for Smart Objects) Alliance, www.ipsoalliance.org, Colorado Springs, Colo., hopes to further expand HANs using the ZigBee IP specification and the ZigBee Smart Energy version 2.0 standard—which enables wireless communication between utility companies and household devices.
“Working with the IPSO Alliance will speed our development work on ZigBee Smart Energy,” says Bob Heile, chairman, ZigBee Alliance. “By using IP technology, ZigBee Smart Energy will give utilities more flexibility in future smart grid deployments.”
Geoff Mulligan, chairman, IPSO Alliance, also believes the partnership will help speed the adoption of the smart grid, which is already expected to grow tremendously in the next few years. In fact, according to a recent report from Pike Research, www.pikeresearch.com, Boulder, Colo., the HAN-enabled meter penetration rate in North America will reach 81% by 2013.
A world where objects in the home communicate with each other is no longer science fiction. Organizations like the ZigBee Alliance work everyday toward a more connected world—a world consumers seem ready to adopt with open arms. Offering the foundation for a smart home is not just smart, it’s a potentially critical point of differentiation for builders looking to stay ahead of the pack.
For builders that want to learn more about the connected home, check out the launch issue of Constructech’s sister publication, Connected World.