Advancement in Internet of Things (IoT) is a key driver of the smart home appliances market. IoT basically extends the ability to control devices either over a home network wirelessly or from anywhere in the world where users have Internet access. “IoT is among the key technology drivers that give distinct value to home buyers who wish to opt for smart home solutions in terms of affordability, modularity, scalability, ease of installation, ease of maintenance and ease of usage,” affirms Avinash K Gautam, CEO, Silvan Innovation Labs. Many devices are now coming with the IoT option builtin; for instance, washing machines that tell you the status of operation via smart apps, adds Dr Narendra Bhat, President, BuildTrack. “Using our single BuildTrack IoT platform, we have developed many different solutions that can serve multiple market segments and geographies. In eastern India, our building management solution serves ‘The 42’, the tallest building in India, in Kolkata.” Smart services for cost and energy savings When asked how turnkey contractors can contribute in building a smart home, Senthil Thangam, Senior General Manager, Commercial Air-Conditioning Division, Blue Star, responds: “As a solutions provider, it is important to be associated with the project right at the planning stage. This will enable us to understand the customer requirement, offer various options, and facilitate the customer in deciding on the right solution. There is a need to change the standard process of inviting a quote for a specific product and instead seek the right solutions from the vendor. This can pave the way for the evolution of energy-efficient smart homes in India.The selection of the right air-conditioning system is important for residential applications. Generally, this segment operates on high diversity; hence, we need to select products such as VRF that can operate efficiently on high diversity. The next important aspect is the ability of the system to precisely regulate capacity in line with changing load patterns, which will govern overall efficiency and enable power savings.” - SERAPHINA D’SOUZA