c o v e r s t o r y In Search of ... the smartest home in america To find out where it is, we first must determine what it is. And that’s not an easy task. by steph Koyfman hen we initially set out on our quest to find the smartest home in America, we already knew we were asking a somewhat disingenuous ques- tion. How do you even begin to define “smartest” when there are so many different kinds of intelli- gence? A net zero energy home is not the same as a high-secu- rity one, but both exist on the cutting edge of home technol- ogy. Besides, “cutting edge” is a moving target, and one that moves fast and furiously. An assignment like this would also raise the question of wheth- W 20 er the so-called “smart home” has truly arrived in America. There are still grave security concerns making many home- owners hesitant to implement connected features (just ask the guests at Romantik Seehotel Jaegerwirt, an Austrian hotel whose electronic key system was recently infiltrated by hack- ers and held ransom for a certain sum of Bitcoins). And for all the talk of “smart home” this and “connected home” that, the market is still in its early stages. A preponder- ance of brands vying for atten- tion often paralyzes those in the middle of the tech adoption bell curve, and there hasn’t been enough consolidation in the mar- ket yet for a truly integrated user experience to feel within reach. Further still, what are the metrics you would use to qualify the smartest home in America? Is it total number of devices? User-friendliness? Comprehen- siveness? Would a home with 17 simple devices be considered “smarter” than a home equipped MARCH 2017 HARDWARE + BUILDING SUPPLY DEALER with one or two leading-edge smart technologies? At least one person we spoke to suggested we take a look at Bill Gates’ home. It’s been reported that the house is equipped with sensors that fol- low guests from room to room, adjusting temperature, lighting and music to suit their preferenc- es. In case that weren’t enough, there are also computer screens throughout the house that can display paintings and photo- graphs of an individual’s choice. The Honda Smart Home is an- other example: It cuts water us- age in half and uses 60% of the energy of a typical new home, all while leveraging a smart home control system to automate and coordinate various processes. Jason Johnson, CEO of August Home, also leads by example with a fully connected home that allows him to seamlessly monitor lighting, security, music, temperature, entertainment and more — and all in a way that matches his daily movements (see illustration on page 21). HBSDealer.com