For several years writers have been touting the digital house of the future, typically showcasing refrigerators which are apparently a lot smarter than we are. These units are supposed to know when we’re getting low on milk and make sure that more is delivered just as the last drop hits the cereal bowl in the morning. Ditto for all the appliances in the house—even toilets and trash cans are hyped to be more intelligent, 24/7, than the average homeowner on a Saturday morning.

But wait a minute—can we no longer risk running out of milk? Does an ordinary trip to the bathroom have to morph into a data dump? Is a smart toilet really the answer to our dreams? Personally, I’m prepared to live a little more dangerously.

Nevertheless, the question of wiring a house for emerging technology is rapidly becoming an ordinary choice rather than a far-fetched option. While starting the car from the breakfast table may be forever superfluous, digital control systems which micro-manage heating, cooling, and irrigation can deliver real benefits in terms of utility bills and energy conservation. And for homeowners who travel or commute extensively, the ability to manipulate thermostats, lighting, and security systems from the cell phone can be pretty darn useful.

Many of these features fit under the rubric of the “smart home,” whose technology has significantly progressed over the last decade. For a few bucks per square foot, you can program a “light path” to illuminate your way from the garage to the back of the house the moment your garage door opens—no need to juggle groceries as you grope for those nasty light switches in the dark. Lights can also be programmed to switch on and off, simulating occupancy when you are away. Heating and cooling can be precisely managed remotely from Timbuktu.

 

For most of us, however, smart houses will remain unnecessary and unaffordable until technology (wireless or otherwise) gets up to speed. What is right in our faces, however, is the strong trend towards integrating audio, video, telephone, Internet, and computer networking functions. Information is pouring in from satellite, cable, and telephone lines, programs are being run on computers and game systems, and media sources range from old-time vinyl to DVDs and beyond. It’s a bewildering techno-puzzle whose pieces are constantly changing

To read the complete story, please find Su Casa at your local newsstand or order it online here or by phone at 505-344-1783 or toll-free 866-256-4925.