To help cut through some of the noise, ACHR NEWS reached out to Tom Lorenz, director of product at Copeland, to offer some advice for contractors interested in working with smart products.  

ACHR NEWS: What smart home products are most popular or in demand right now? Are there any other trends you’re seeing?

Lorenz: The smart home market is experiencing significant growth, with several products gaining popularity. Smart thermostats are in high demand for their abilities to help optimize energy consumption, help save people money, and provide access to a home’s climate remotely. They provide detailed energy usage reports, helping people identify potential inefficiencies and make decisions about their heating and cooling habits. Other smart home products in demand are video doorbells, smart speakers, and voice assistants. In addition, we’re seeing a slight shift to more integrated home solutions to help alleviate potential frustrations when installing multiple smart home products.  

ACHR NEWS: What challenges, if any, can contractors expect when integrating smart home products into existing HVAC systems?  

Lorenz: Integrating smart home products into existing HVAC systems can have some potentially unique challenges. Many smart thermostats need a constant power source (C-wire) to function properly. Copeland offers Sensi smart thermostats that work with or without a C-wire, including the new Sensi Equipment Interface Module which eliminates the need for pulling additional HVAC wiring to the thermostat, helping solve installation challenges. An internet connection is also required to enable the “smart” functionality of a smart home thermostat. For those familiar with apps and Wi-Fi networks, setup is generally quick and straightforward. However, less tech-savvy users may find certain steps confusing. However, multiple video tutorials, instruction manuals, and manufacturer resources are available for assistance. 

ACHR NEWS: What's your recommendation for how to prepare technicians to offer smart home solutions?  

Lorenz: I recommend technicians prepare to offer smart home solutions by first knowing their customers, and then understanding the features, benefits, and installation of smart thermostats. They should offer customer training tools to explain smart thermostat benefits in simple terms, focusing on energy/cost savings, data privacy, and remote access. I also recommend technicians use the product itself to demonstrate their firsthand experience with its features and benefits. Confidently discussing their extensive knowledge of a thermostat’s ease of use, potential energy savings, and convenience can be very convincing.  

ACHR NEWS: What are the most common customer concerns or questions about smart home products?   

Many concerns regard ease of use and whether a device is complicated to set up and use. Some smart home devices are designed for easy installation and have user-friendly apps; reading reviews and getting recommendations may alleviate most people’s concerns. Another concern is whether they can integrate with other smart home devices. Many products will integrate with smart home ecosystems like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung Smart Things, or Apple Home; but it’s important to check compatibility before purchasing or installing a smart home device. One last concern is about security and privacy. Some smart home device manufacturers will publish security details and inform consumers how they approach privacy issues. Copeland recently published a ‘Smart Home Data Privacy’ survey, and the results can be viewed at sensi.copeland.com/dataprivacy

ACHR NEWS: What pricing strategies work best for bundling smart home products with HVAC services?  

Lorenz: Bundling smart home products with HVAC services can be an effective strategy to increase sales and offer added value to customers. One strategy would be to offer value-added bundles by combining a smart home product with HVAC maintenance service agreements. Another strategy would be to add the smart home product during an HVAC system upgrade and take advantage of the installation process then.