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Ten Must-Have Technology Trends for Today's Homes
 Home theater, home healthcare, automated lighting, security systems and gaming rooms are five of the “must-have” technologies home builders should include in their homes, according to Utz Baldwin, vice president of the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA).
Baldwin discussed these and five other “Top 10 Must-Have Technology Trends for Homes” during the Custom Builder Symposium this fall.
The trends include:
- Home Theater/Media Systems — in a dedicated room with “smart” components and controls
- Home Healthcare Products and Installation — including patient monitoring systems, medication compliance tools (through the Web and TV) and telemedicine tools to monitor vital signs and communicate with health care professionals
- Media Center Edition (MCE) Computers — including surround-sound processing, one-touch recording of TV shows, Internet radio access, entertainment services, family movies and photos
- Microdisplay-Based Televisions — including liquid crystal display, digital light processing, liquid crystal on silicon and LCD-based rear-projection TVs
- Lighting and Automation — including universal powerline technology and wireless
- Security Systems — that record up to two weeks of activities
- Media Servers — to store thousands of hours of music that can be shared among devices
- iPod Revolution — including connectivity to distributed audio systems and competition among MP3 manufacturers
- Entertainment — including multi-zone and multi-room music systems with any source accessible from any room and multiple sources operating in multiple rooms simultaneously
- Gaming Rooms — for traditional play such as billiards, card games and pinball, along with ever-more-sophisticated electronic games and systems
Learn More at the 2007 International Builders’ Show
Four educational sessions at the 2007 International Builders’ Show in Orlando in February will offer builders the details on these Top 10 technology trends, as well as what you need to know about structured wiring, how to profit from new technology and more ways to appeal to today’s connected consumer.
The sessions include:
Times and days for these sessions are available at www.buildersshow.com in the nextBuild/Technology track and can be added though "My Show Planner."
 NAHB Biztools™ Has Nearly 300 Resources to Help You Run Your Business More Profitably
Go to NAHB's Business Management Tools Web pages (available to members only) for instant access to nearly 300 timesaving, moneymaking and cost-cutting business resources to help you run your business more profitably. Get guidance on accounting and financial management, business strategy, computers and information technology, customer service, human resources and more.
Resources are added weekly, so bookmark www.nahb.org/biztools to go directly to these vital business management resources.
Local and state home builders associations can link directly to www.nahb.org/biztools from their Web site and give their members instant access to these resources. It will make your HBA's Web site the place to go for the information and guidance that members need to succeed.
 NAHB Kit Gives Builders Back-to-Basics Tips in Cooling Market
With the current cooling of the nation’s housing market expected to persist into the middle of next year, NAHB has developed a comprehensive online toolkit geared to providing association members with information that will help them prosper in today’s changing business environment.
With the current cooling of the nation’s housing market expected to persist into the middle of next year, NAHB has developed a comprehensive geared to providing association members with information that will help them prosper in today’s changing business environment.
To access the “Back to Basics” toolkit, you must be an NAHB member and have a login to www.nahb.org. To create a login, go to www.nahb.org/login or click on the log-in button on the main menu bar.
For assistance, call the NAHB Member Service Center at 800-368-5242.
Subscribe to NAHB’s Business of Building e/Source
NAHB’s Business of Building e/Source is your monthly electronic guide to the hot issues and emerging trends in home building business management.
You’ll find practical advice, tricks of the trade and sound business guidance — all delivered monthly, straight to your desktop, in a quick and easy-to-read format. Business of Building e/Source is available free to NAHB members and their employees.
To subscribe, click here on the Members Only side of the NAHB Web site.
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