“This year’s study confirms CEA’s long-held belief and prediction that home technology would make a positive contribution to the inevitable housing market recovery as home buyers’ digital lifestyles and desires for energy efficiency factor into purchasing decisions,” said Steve Koenig, CEA’s director of industry analysis.

The study found an increase in installations across all technology sectors, with the biggest gains in structured wiring (63 percent of new homes in 2011 vs. 45 percent of new homes in 2010). Energy management solutions, such as automated lighting controls (12 percent vs. 7 percent) and home automation (10 percent vs. 5 percent) were at all-time highs.

The study also found that builders have embraced other construction opportunities such as remodeling existing homes (57 percent). Even as the housing market shows signs of life, CEA said industry players should not lose their focus on aftermarket opportunities, as one in five builders cite remodeling has generated more revenue than new home building in the past 12 months.

CEA’s study was conducted in conjunction with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, which gathered data through the Annual Builder Practices Survey, including new construction information from U.S. homebuilders. The study provides home technology professionals with a better understanding of homebuilders’ perceptions of and motivations for installing home technology in new home construction and the remodeling market.

Publication date: 6/18/2012