11 May The latest tech set to change apartment living
Photo: Schneider Electric
Thanks to a rapidly emerging design trend incorporating a plethora of advanced lifestyle technologies, the once humble unit or townhouse can now offer an experience that channels science fiction rather than urban norm.
Electric vehicle charging bays, biometric apartment access and smart meter technology are just an example of the innovations currently making their way into exciting new residential developments both here and abroad. Notable for their emphasis on enabling sustainable lifestyles, such inclusions allow residents to control living costs and reduce their carbon footprints. Then there’s the simple, inescapable fun of living in a responsive and interactive space.
“Technology and the idea of connectivity has become integral to everyone’s lives, so there’s now an expectation, particularly among younger buyers, that everything within a house or apartment should also be connected,” says Ed Horton from sustainable development specialists the Stable Group. “Thanks to significant advances, the technology now exists for everything within your apartment or home to be managed from your tablet or your smart phone.”
Already well established in the US, the concept of high-tech living spaces is rapidly gaining a dedicated following here in Australia. According to Isaac Kim, SMART Space residential business development manager for Schneider Electric, the availability of full system automation is a major attraction for would-be adopters.
“When we talk about interesting residential technologies, the luxury or ‘show-off’ features are among the most popular,” says Kim. “These could be things like lighting automation, multi-media control, or remote access – being able to control your home while you’re away from home. Let’s say it’s hot. You’re getting home in 10, 20-minutes. You want the air conditioner turned on before you get there. You can do it via remote command using your phone or smart device.”
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Report by Owen Thomson from Domain