The Apple Store isn't a place you would typically look for residential building components. But you can find a new Wi-Fi-enabled lighting system from Philips called HUE there. This screw-in LED replacement for traditional bulbs can be easily controlled for color, color temperature, and intensity from a computer or smartphone. Google's recent $3.2 billion purchase of the Palo Alto, California–based Nest Labs and its web-accessible programmable thermostats, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors is yet another development turning the notion of home automation—often a complex configuration of wires and cables linked to devices with rigid protocols—into a viable option for new construction and also renovation projects.
“This is the advent of the 'Internet of Things'; everything is going to be controlled through Wi-Fi,” says lighting designer Christopher Thompson, who runs the Seattle design firm Studio Lux. As a result, says Thompson, “Home automation is undergoing a huge shift.”
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.