Upmarket appeal for the smart set

Half of householders would welcome smart technology in their homes, according to a report by The Joseph Rowntree Foundation on the potential market for smart homes. The survey of 1000 householders found that 50% would consider buying smart home technology if cost was not an issue. When questioned about the potential benefits respondents were even more positive - 70% said they would value the safety and security features of a smart home, while 59% said that controlling devices in the home when they were out would be very useful.

Interest from the consumer electronics industry, new technology and scale economies from the American market will help to drive the smart homes market in the UK, according to the report. But it warns that technology is being held up by a lack of promotion by homebuilders. It also cites skill shortages and lack of common standards as further obstacles to its wide-scale rollout.

Suppliers and manufacturers of smart homes and homebuilders will also have to allay fears about complexity and reliability. Of householders surveyed, 65% say they would be worried about things going wrong and 51% are worried that the system would be too complex.

Not surprisingly the survey found that those most positive about technology in the home tended to be young or have access to other types of technology such as the internet. Home technology would be welcomed by 73% of those aged 25-34.

Property agents questioned about the viability of smart homes believe that an increasing number of affluent buyers would be prepared to pay more for a home with sophisticated integrated technology. High earning couples are seen as those most likely to buy smart homes.

Agents predict that intelligent homes will represent a growing segment of the over £500 000 property market in the next few years. But mainstream homebuyers will have to wait, according to agents and developers, with only a low level of smart technology available. Both developers and property agents believe that the best way of marketing smart homes is to draw attention to the technology's benefits in a show home.

Architects blamed the lack of skilled contractors with design-install-maintain programme experience for the slow adoption of smart home technology. They also claim that the "innate conservatism" of the building industry inhibited growth.

Residential service installers also questioned developers' commitment to smart technology, saying that poor inter-trade co-operation on building projects was a major factor undermining the installation process, particularly on large residential projects. Cost overruns and poor installation are the result. Cheap components have undermined the reliability of recent mid-market installations, the installers added.

The Market Potential for Smart Homes costs £10.95 and is available from York Publishing Services on 01904 430033.