Advancements in technology have forever changed many aspects of our lives, especially in our homes. While smart home devices have been around for as long as 30 years now in small numbers, a new breed of computerized products from a new diverse group of suppliers is ready to enter the marketplace. This is good news developers who, if they add smart home automation systems as a value added service, can expect long-term revenue streams.

One product supplier, HAI (Home Automation, Inc.), a leading manufacturer of integrated automation and security products since 1985, recently announced it is shipping a 4-Button Wireless Keypad as part of its wireless products line that can activate lighting, arm and disarm a security system, operate a garage door, set off a panic alarm, and change temperatures. It features an elegant, slim design which mounts on any wall where a light switch is desired but electrical wires aren't available to connect it to.

An LED indicator on the front of the switch visually confirms that a signal has been sent. Applications for the new Keypad include the ability to control lighting where a wired switch is not possible and to place the control station anywhere desired, e.g., a desk drawer, bedside or in a detached building for safety purposes.

In Miami, Skyline Equities Realty markets its "Condos of the Future^TM," a smart building technology with premiere interactive software design and networking that provides its residential services all with the touch of a button. The interactive network allows owners to utilize building amenities, observe security functions and review and communicate various condominium management functions. This is all done through one unified system, a wireless touch screen located in the residence. Features include:

• Always on High Speed Internet. With near T-1 speeds to the unit, residents enjoy lightning fast downloads and send and receive music, pictures and videos like never before.

• High Quality Digital Phone Service. "Ready-to-Go" digital phone service provides owners with flexible service allowing unlimited local and long distance calls as well as advanced digital phone services.

• Automated Amenities. With the touch of a button residents can retrieve their car from valet, add and remove access rights for guests, access security cameras around the property, place a spa reservation, etc. -- Video and Entertainment Services. The television will never be the same with the highest quality digital television on display in each home. Channels are available from around the world.

To help builders generate revenue streams, the United Arab Emirates' One Media Communication (OMC), a leading smart home integration company, has developed a new business model that enables developers to generate revenues from advertisers and commissions from nearby service providers that soon reap a return on their smart home investment.

"Everybody wins; the resident gets the convenience of smart home automation and value-added services, the developer gets additional revenue streams, and advertisers and local service providers gain access to their customers," David Dobouny, OMC general manager of OMC.

Recently OMC launched 'Live', an advanced interactive platform that provides developers with a comprehensive community solution. Centering on elegant touch-screen control panels, Live provides residents with a wide variety of smart home features, such as security, lighting and climate control, as well as managing all their music, satellite TV and home theatre entertainment and digital storage systems. In addition it enables numerous interactive communications and services with the larger community.

For the developer, the system provides an essential security solution and is also a medium for communicating community news, upcoming events, alerts and general information about the community that would be of interest to residents. For nearby shops, restaurants, sports clubs and service providers the technology provides a medium for them to unobtrusively advertise themselves to their customers.

"The old idea of smart home features like climate control and automatic curtains is only a fraction of what today's technology is capable of," said Omar Dobouny, OMC financial director. "Our systems today enable developers to provide their residents and local businesses with true value added services which in turn generates an ongoing revenue stream for them."

"The UAE is a very exciting market for us. Developers here are continually pushing the envelope in terms of the level of luxury they are providing for their residents. Now that they can turn what used to be considered an additional cost into a source of revenue, we predict a rapid increase in the number of developers adopting smart home solutions," said Dobouny.

According to Neo, a leading United Kingdom home automation installer based in London, smart home technology has generally entailed either large-scale custom solutions for luxury homes, or inexpensive gadgets used by tech-savvy consumers wanting to design and implement the solution themselves. A new range of wireless technologies look set to take the price of automating a home into the middle ground between the two extremes seen previously, meaning that automation is set to become much more affordable, and mass-marketable.

At a time when property development is changing so, too, will the minds of business development decision makers. Builders and property developers who view smart home automation systems as a cost-effective value added service and invest in this unique way to conduct business, could be at the forefront of realizing long-term revenue streams.

Published: June 30, 2008

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Peter L. Mosca is president and founder of BAK Communications, Inc. He has over 22 years of communications and media consulting experience, serving a variety of nonprofit organizations, including the CCIM Institute and the REALTOR Association on all three levels – national, state and local. He is the Spokesperson Trainer for the CCIM's Jay Levine Academy and trains hundreds of residential REALTORS nationwide to be effective industry spokespeople. He is consistently ranked as "excellent" by about 90% of those who attend his presentations. While his principal consulting focuses are public speaking and media relations development and content delivery and management, Peter is also the host of the Voice America Network's weekly radio program, "Income Property Investment Talk," a one-hour program that brings the powerhouses of commercial and residential real estate to property investors every Wednesday at 11 a.m. EST. Peter is married 17 years to his wife Barbara. They have two children: Ashley, 15 and Kelli, 12. Hence, the name BAK Communications, Inc.