Publishers’ Letter – Fall 2022

ONCE AGAIN WE TURN OUR ATTENTION to one of our biggest trade show events in the consumer technology industry, CEDIA Expo 2022. The Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association convention in Dallas is critically important this year as the show returns to full force post-pandemic, with face-to-face communication, meetings and the ability for manufacturers to actually demo products to the attendees. These opportunities are important for the advancement of the industry.

At the same time, we have seen the return of regional trade events where technology designers and systems integrators meet with the vendors for educational and business strategy sessions. Likewise, the various buying groups are once again holding their own private shows where key dealers meet with key vendors. All-in-all, the industry centered on smart home technologies – the manufacturers, trade representatives and system integrator dealers are back and getting together to talk shop so everyone can stay up-to-date on the latest technologies and products.

What’s missing from this equation? Well, for one thing, the design-build community. While CEDIA Expo has made inroads on getting the design-build trades to attend the national convention, there isn’t much penetration at the local and regional level. Exposing architects, designers and builders to the latest technologies becomes ever more important as more and more technology infiltrates the home environment. You don’t have to be a technology expert, but you do have to have a working knowledge in case your client is interested in having a smart home – and, no, contrary to popular belief, DIY falls well short of the mark when it comes to advances in lighting, window treatments, clean air, purified water and other critical subsystems designed to provide healthier and better interiors.

And guess who else isn’t being invited to the dance? Consumers! Where do consumers go if they are interested in learning about and experiencing smart homes and performance homes? Who do they talk to who knows about the subject matter? Where do they go to see and touch and feel performance technologies?

Well, that’s exactly why Technology Designer was created. Post-pandemic, look for Technology Designer to launch special luxury events around the country where all of the stakeholders will be invited to look, experience, discuss and educate each other on the incredible opportunities today’s cutting edge technologies offer — in wellness architecture, intelligent lighting, sustainable design and resilient building. Because at the end of the day, only an informed consumer will make the right choice. So it only makes sense that if we all team up as a partnership to educate and demonstrate, consumers will enhance their design vision with those supporting technologies that heighten the experience of living in intelligent and pleasurable spaces.

Technology Designer