Parks Associates presents new consumer data at CEDIA Expo

Parks Associates’ Director of Home Systems Research, Bill Ablondi will lead and moderate the keynote panel session “The Future of Energy Management” during the CEDIA Expo on Friday, September 24 in Atlanta, GA. Leaders in consumer technology, energy management, and smart grid technology will deliver the state of the union as it relates to energy management and the electronic systems industry during this keynote panel. Speakers include: Control4 Energy Systems, Direct Energy, GlobalSmartEnergy, Home Automation, Inc. (HAI), and Intel Corp.

Bill will present findings from Parks Associates’ Residential Energy Management project, including consumer research, new opportunities for manufacturers and service providers to deliver energy solutions, and strategies for companies to communicate the benefits of smart grid technologies and successfully engage consumers.

In the new white paper “Consumer Attitudes and the Benefits of Smart Grid Technologies,” Parks Associates reports more than 80% of U.S. broadband households are interested in learning about ways to cut energy expenditures, but utilities and their partners will be challenged in designing solutions to meet consumers’ varying needs and budgets.

U.S. Electronic Systems Contractors optimistic about business prospects in 2010

On average, U.S. home systems integrators, who have had revenues fall for the past two years, expect sales to pick up by more than 9% in 2010 over 2009, according to Home Systems: Channel and Consumer Monitor.

This report includes results of a fourth-quarter 2009 survey of integrators installing home controls, entertainment systems, and energy management solutions, conducted as a joint effort from international research firm Parks Associates and the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA).

Home Systems: Channel and Consumer Monitor reports that integrators continue to generate two-thirds of their revenue from A/V systems but many integrators plan to diversity in 2010 by adding lighting controls and solar panels to their 2010 offerings. Approximately 40% of integrators plan to begin installing photovoltaic solar panels, and another 38% are seeking more information on this product category to determine its viability. In addition, the trend toward more retrofit projects, which accounted for 63% of 2009 revenues, will continue.

Visit www.parksassociates.com for more information on Home Systems: Channel and Consumer Monitor.

Electronic Systems Contractors diversify their services with green and retrofit opportunities

Majority expect sales drop to continue through 2009, expanding business in retrofit and energy management to compensate

The majority of U.S. home systems integrators, who have had average revenues fall almost 17% since 2007, are making adjustments to compensate for declines in new-home construction and consumer spending by diving into the green and retrofit markets according to Parks Associates’ Channel and Consumer Monitor and CEDIA.

Parks Associates conducts quarterly surveys of the home systems channel, including online surveys of integrators installing home controls, entertainment systems, and energy management solutions. The most recent report, based on a second-quarter 2009 survey, was conducted as a joint effort from Parks Associates and the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA).

Channel and Consumer Monitor reports that integrators, who have traditionally installed expensive control and entertainment systems in new homes, now get the majority of their revenues from retrofit jobs, which represents a major shift in this business sector.

The survey also found awareness of Smart Grid terms and technologies, such as smart meter and AMI, was low among installers, although almost one-third of integrators have installed some type of energy-monitoring system in the last year.

Results of the recent survey are only available to participants.

For the full press release, click here.