Residential Systems - March 2020

VOLUME 21 NO.3 | MARCH 2020

Residential Systems ResidentialSystems.com

How to Talk to Builders 2020 Residential Systems Stellar Service Award Winners Guide to 4K Video Networks

ENLIGHTENING EXPERIENCE Take a tour of Lutron’s recently updated NYC Experience Center

Review: Intellithings RoomMe Occupancy Automation Sensors

TableofContents

columns 8

CEDIALine The CEDIA Awards: Winning and Marketing The business wins don’t end when the awards night is over.

By Ed Wenck

9

Dave Donald’s Business Book Club The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

by Al Reis and Jack Trout Re-think how you see and do your marketing with this insightful book.

By Dave Donald

10 The Strategist The Fallacy That Marketing Is an Expense Marketing your business is a necessity, not an option.

By Tim Fitzpatrick, Rialto Marketing

12 Home Theater Design The Key to a Better Builder Relationship A home theater designer could be the builder liaison your

16

SKYNESHER/GETTY IMAGES

business needs.

By Lisa Slayman, Principal of Slayman Cinema

14 Business Insights Love at Work

features 16 Building Constructive Relationships

How to deal with office romances in the Me-Too era.

By Rob Lane

By Carolyn Heinze

How to grow your custom install business by establishing relationships with building

42 Going Forward Opportunity Knocks at KBIS. Will You Answer?

professionals.

20 Enlightening Experience

KBIS 2020 was a banner year for technology in the kitchen

By Anthony Savona

and bath, presenting integrators with a treasure trove of

Lutron’s NYC Experience Center gives clients a demo they won’t soon forget.

opportunities waiting to be mined.

By Katye McGregor Bennett

22 2020 Residential Systems Stellar Service Awards Winners

By Resi Staff

gear 34 Review Intellithings RoomMe Occupancy Automation Sensors Use the Bluetooth signature of a device to identify who

The readers have spoken on their favorite manufacturer and dealer training programs.

28 Tech Showcase: Power Management

By Resi Staff A look at what some of the more recent entries to the category bring to the home.

30 Integration Guide to 4K Video Networks More Opportunities With 4K

is in each room of the house, and activate their preferred

By Karen Mitchell

settings.

Now that consumers are aware of 4K and expect it in their homes, how are you

By John Sciacca

implementing it across the network?

on the cover Lutron’s NYC Experience Center gives integrators, architects, builders, and clients the chance to experience high-end lighting and shading in the smart home.

Get More Industry Information from Web: www.twice.com Twitter: @TWICEonline

departments

ClickThrus

Editor’s Letter.......................... 4 Resi Briefs................................. 6 New Products.........................38 Ad Index...................................41

Join the online Residential Systems community on LinkedIn (groups/ Residential Systems), Twitter (resisys), and Facebook (facebook/ resisys). And visit www.residentialsystems.com to join our Forums and read the interactive, Digital Edition of this and past issues.

residen tial sy stems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

3

Residential Systems March 2020 Volume 21, Number 3

March Issue

Contributors

DAVE DONALD An industry veteran with over 35 years in the CI biz, Dave was on CEDIA’s founding Board of Directors and was instrumental in building the industry through his work with several manufacturers.

TIM FITZPATRICK Tim Fitzpatrick is the president of Rialto Marketing. He spent 10+ years in the consumer electronics industry as a partner in a distribution company before getting into marketing consulting and digital marketing.

LISA SLAYMAN With more than 20 years designing luxury home theaters, Lisa Slayman of Slayman Cinema is a valuable resource for integrators. Slayman Cinema has won several awards, including the International Best Overall Home Theater from CEDIA.

ROB LANE Based in both London and the south west coast of England, Rob Lane has been writing about residential systems, CE, and pro AV for 25 years, and has edited a number of UK home theater and CE magazines.

KAREN MITCHELL Karen Mitchell is a freelance writer based in Boulder, CO. She has written about the AV industry from both sides now — residential and commercial — for several years and still finds it most intriguing and fast paced.

KATYE MCGREGOR BENNETT Katye McGregor Bennett is chief strategist and CEO of KMB Communications and an avid podcaster. Podcasts include Connecting Tech + Design and AV Trade Talk podcasts.

Residential Systems (ISSN# 1528-7858) is published monthly by Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036 Periodical Postage Paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: send address changes and inquiries to Residential Systems P. O. Box 1067 Lowell, MA 01853.

Subscriptions: US: 1-yr $56, 2-yr $100; Canada: 1-yr $104, 2-yr $196; Foreign: 1-yr $156, 2-yr $300.

Back issues are $8. Copyright 2020 by Future US, Inc.

PRINTED IN THE USA.

Editor’sLetter

The Power of Patience B Y A N T H O N Y S AV O N A I am most definitely a work-in-progress, and by that I mean I am constantly (over) analyzing myself in an effort to fix what’s wrong. Typically, I learn by reading articles and books, and also by finding someone that I believe exhibits the qualities I should have and emulating them in those areas.

In this hunt for self-improvement, the thing that has had the biggest effect on how I live and work is the effort I put into being more patient, and I am around quite a few people who offer stellar examples of that quality.

Through patience, I have also made inroads in being a better listener and appreciating other people’s situations and how they arrive at their opinions than I was previously.

To get there, I have a constant mantra running through my head to “be less Tony,” meaning to fight my urges to get where I need to be at the expense of all others. That can simply be letting people on a train or elevator before me, or letting people fully get their ideas out in meetings without my interruption.

Patience is also tied directly to losing one’s temper, and this is another area where taking a moment to really think before speaking or, especially, emailing has had a huge difference.

This came to my attention recently when I fell off the wagon and fired off an email in response to a plan with which I disagreed without seeing other’s perspectives or giving me time to process what they wanted and how I could find a way to make it work. This led to a later mea culpa email, which is never fun.

This is not to say that it always leads to compromise, but I know whatever decisions are made have been thoroughly considered and all views taken into account.

Of course, this works best with a team that has the overall goals of the organization in its best interests. But we’ve all run into people who will put their own agenda ahead of what’s good for the team. And once you have patiently determined that their perspective does not

“Patience certainly does not mean weakness or indecisiveness.”

4 R E S I D E N T I A L

match the team’s, you can handle that person accordingly.

Patience certainly does not mean weakness or indecisiveness.

As I mentioned, this is an ongoing process where I learn, make adjustments, and repeat.

In this case, I am pleased with how the results are going, and will try and continue as best I can.

Of course, there are limits to patience, and I know I get a ton of dirty looks as I scramble along NYC streets trying to make my evening train.

I’m working on it!

Find me online... anthony.savona@futurenet.com residentialsystems.com twitter.com/resisys groups/Residential Sytems facebook/resisys

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | residen tial systems.co m

Resideo Acquires Herman ProAV

Racepoint Energy Acquires NOON Home Racepoint Energy has announced the acquisition of the technology and team of NOON Home, including residential lighting control innovations developed by the NOON team based out of Campbell, CA. This acquisition will enable Racepoint Energy and sistercompany Savant to deliver comprehensive and intuitive lighting and intelligent control solutions.

NOON entered the smart lighting market in 2017 with the development of the NOON Lighting System, designed to eliminate many of the installation and onboarding complexities associated with traditional lighting control solutions. NOON offers a complete lighting control platform that can be discovered, configured, and controlled with a single app experience.

The team at NOON has created a best-in-class experience as well as a thoughtful approach to designing unique lighting hardware solutions. This acquisition will expand both Racepoint Energy and Savant’s lighting

control offerings, including the addition of NOON’s keypad style to the Savant keypad lineup.

“I am pleased to officially announce the addition of NOON to our growing list of industry-leading brands, including Savant, Racepoint Energy, and Artison,” explains Robert Madonna, CEO of both Racepoint Energy and Savant. “The experience and expertise of the team at NOON will enable us to design unique solutions, making advanced energy and lighting automation available for a broad range of smart home projects.”

The integrated Racepoint Energy and NOON team will continue to focus on designing unique product and software solutions that can be sold into both the custom installation and distribution channels. Early development initiatives will include integration into the Savant smart home ecosystem, with plans to offer NOON solutions on the Savant Store.

Resideo Technologies, Inc. has announced it has acquired privately held Herman ProAV, based in Miramar, FL. The newly acquired company is a leading provider and distributor of professional audio-visual products, procurement services and labor resources to systems integrators in the commercial audio-visual industry. Herman ProAV serves customers across the United States and will be part of Resideo’s ADI Global Distribution business, a wholesale distributor of security, AV, and low-voltage products.

“ADI is a cornerstone of Resideo’s growth and continues to expand its presence as the global leader in low voltage security and audio-visual distribution,” says Mike Nefkens, president and CEO of Resideo.

“Herman’s product offering and compelling services model are perfectly aligned with ADI, and this acquisition will help us reach new customers across the pro-AV market. This is an important acquisition for our distribution business as part of our ongoing strategic initiative to identify and execute on investments that accelerate topline growth and expand margins.”

Access Networks Introduces New Client Services Department and New Domain Name Access Networks has launched a new Client Services Department to streamline the sales, design and ordering process for home systems integrators. Access Networks’ newly formed Client Services combines resources from the company’s sales, design, and ordering departments, fostering greater synergy among team members and resulting in quicker, more efficient response and service for integrators.

Integrators now have single resource and point of contact, regardless of whether they are placing orders or posing design questions.

6 R E S I D E N T I A L

In the past, integrators contacted the sales, ordering and design departments through separate modes of communication; now they

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e siden tial systems.com

just send their information or query to one email address, where it is routed to the appropriate team member by Access Networks internally.

The new Client Services Department goes into effect immediately, coinciding with Access Networks’ recent acquisition of the Access Networks domain name. The new web address for Access Networks is www.accessnetworks. com, and dealers can contact the Client Services Department at clientservices@accessnetworks.com For more information, visit the new domain at www.accessnetworks.com.

ResiBriefs

Entry System Open for 2020 CEDIA Awards

Joe Roberts Joins RTI as CEO

The entry system is now open for the 2020 CEDIA Awards program. The awards, which spotlight the finest work the industry has to offer, are considered the premier prize for projects crafted by residential technology integrators.

This year, CEDIA is launching a new awards platform that streamlines the entry process. This new system walks entrants through each step of the submission, and project details can be entered in stages or all at once Project categories include: Integrated Home; Media Room; Home Cinema; Showroom; Auto, Marine, or Aircraft; and Multiple Dwelling Unit Design. CEDIA members can submit projects in multiple categories, and judges will determine cost categories based on all completed entries.

Entries will be categorized based on their region: Americas, EMEA, or Asia Pacific.

New for 2020, CEDIA is also launching a new category for projects produced for less than $25,000.

Entries from the Americas and Asia Pacific regions are due by March 23, while EMEA submissions close April 20. Americas and Asia Pacific finalists will be announced June 8, while EMEA finalists will be announced the week of June 29. Awards celebrations are as follows: Americas winners will be announced at the CEDIA Awards and Leadership Conference on July 22 in Chicago.

Asia Pacific winners will be announced at the CEDIA Awards event during the 2020 Integrate conference in Melbourne, which runs August 19-21.

EMEA winners and winners of Global Awards will be announced at the CEDIA EMEA Awards event in London in the fall.

To qualify for the 2020 program, projects need to have been completed between March 2018 and March 2020. To apply for the 2020 CEDIA Awards, integrators should have documentation and project information on hand. More information on the program, the entry process, and its benefits is available at cedia.net/awards.

RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS

7

RTI has announced the appointment of Joe Roberts as chief executive officer. He will lead the company through initiatives that expand the RTI control platform with unique solutions for its global resimercial customers. Roberts takes over for interim CEO Mark Derus, who will return to his role as chief financial officer.

Roberts has a history of customer focus, product innovation, and delivery, and is Joe Roberts well-known in the industry for turning around Core Brands and reestablishing ELAN as a leading control brand. Roberts will inject his brand of customer focus and leadership into RTI, accelerating innovation within the residential market, and posi-

tioning the company to expand its suite of solutions for the commercial market.

Roberts is a C-level executive and a product visionary with over 20 years’ global experience with companies in the smart home and office, IoT, cloud, and softwareas-a-service markets. As president of Core Brands, he was recognized for building an award-winning product portfolio across multiple categories. Roberts later helped lead the merger with Nortek Security & Control. He has held executive level, general management, and senior marketing positions at The Learning Company, Broderbund, Corel, eLanguage, and others.

Nortek Security & Control Appoints New Executives environments. Larocca will ensure the Nortek Security & Control (NSC) has company’s portfolio strategy, including its announced that Christopher Larocca has AI deep-learning video analytics software joined the organization as chief execuand family of brands, remain disruptive tive officer (CEO) and Darren Learmonth industry leaders. as chief technology officer (CTO). Larocca Complementing the appointment of and Learmonth bring a demonstrated Larocca, Learmonth joins the NSC executrack record of business and technology tive leadership team as its new CTO. He is leadership into their positions. responsible for all engineering and prodLarocca will lead the company’s 700 uct line management departments. Both employees across its security, control, Christopher Larocca access, and digital health business units, address- are based at the company’s Carlsbad, CA headquaring intelligent home and commercial automation ters where Learmonth reports to Larocca.

We Make PoE EZ The most advanced design in pass-through style RJ45 connectors

For PoE and PoE+ installations

• Available in shielded and unshielded versions in 3 sizes to fit most cables • EXO® Crimp Tool creates flush trim Makers of the original EZ-RJ45® 805.384.2777

•

platinumtools.com

CEDIALine

The CEDIA Awards: Winning and Marketing The business wins don’t end when the awards night is over.

BY ED WENCK

For Nic Black, managing director of the U.K.’s Pyramid Group, winning a CEDIA Award means quite a bit more than a pretty piece of hardware — for Black and his firm, it means more high-end business.

“When we won our first Home Cinema Level II, which was in 2016, that project was something that obviously we marketed quite heavily as a result,” Black remembers. “And within five weeks of that project being awarded, we had a conversation with a gentleman from Ireland.

I inquired how he heard of us, and he said, ‘Well, simply, I wanted a cinema; the best I could get.’

“So he went to the CEDIA website,” says Black. “He saw that we had just been awarded for Level II. So, he simply said, ‘Well, you’re clearly the best in the industry this year, so that’s why I’m phoning you.’”

Awards = Credibility For Jason Barth, a founder of The Premier Group in the United States, his company’s two wins in the category of Best Integrated Home, Level IV (2018 and 2019, Americas), have provided a wealth of marketing opportunities. When CEDIA’s director of public relations and industry relations Olivia Sellke fielded a call from the Wall Street Journal (a reporter was interested in doing a story on high-end media rooms for the Journal’s “Mansions” section), Premier was one of the firms that wound up making the final cut after Sellke had made a number of introductions to Award winners and finalists. This was the first of two stories picked up by the WSJ in 2019, and, after working with CEDIA, six members were featured overall.

“CEDIA Awards project winners and Members of Excellence are always our first go-to for any media opportunities — the submission process provides the key details that help us create a compelling hook for a story pitch and give us a great repository for when a member of the press has a specific request,” says Selke.

That bit of press in the WSJ stands out for Barth for a number of reasons. First and foremost, as he says, “My stepdad reads the Wall Street Journal cover to cover every day, and I did not tell him that we were making the Journal. I think it was about 10 after 7 in the morning the day that issue came out, and my phone’s already ringing. It’s my mom, and she’s like, ‘Oh my God, you’re in the Wall Street Journal!’”

Parental pride aside, that project has been a great resource for Premier, and not just as a marketing tool for clients: “I met with a homeowner and her interior designer (who’d flown in from Minnesota), and the client and the designer were sitting at a table when I walked into the house. This house is in drywall and finish trim, and the client

Winning a CEDIA Award provides a “wealth of marketing opportunities.”

8 R E S I D E N T I A L

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e siden tial systems.com

PHOTO BY PWP STUDIO

The Premier Group with its Best Integrated Home, Level IV trophy at the 2019 CEDIA Awards.

turns, looks at me, and says, ‘Hey, I heard you guys just won another award.’”

As Barth further notes, that kind of credibility from the homeowner puts design and build pros right at ease.

The Entry Of course, a firm can’t win if they don’t enter. Nic Black’s firm has tallied three first-place wins and a “Highly Commended” trophy, and he’s got the process down to a science. After gathering all the technical data and choosing the perfect photos, Black then becomes something akin to the managing editor of the entry.

“I would vet, write, and direct other team members,” he says. “So, for example, if there’s a portion to do with lighting, then one of our colleagues who’s in charge of the technical lighting design within the organization would typically put together that information. It’s authored by those that are kind of specialists.

“Similarly, my colleague, Simon, who’s our audio guru, of course will have done all of the calculations, the speaker placements, angles… everything. It stands to reason that he’s going to knit together the pre-project technical design and bring together the actual calibration results and summarize that.”

And to wrap up the process, Black fills in the rest of the blanks: “So I become more of an editor at the end. I’ll write quite a bit of it in terms of the construction, the physical, the design, the concepts, and the client input.” n This year’s CEDIA Awards close March 23, 2020 for Americas/Asia Pacific regions, and April 20, 2020 for EMEA entries. Find specifics at CEDIA.net/awards, and check out the new CEDIA Awards site: cediaawards.org.

BookClub

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Reis and Jack Trout Re-think how you see and do your marketing with this insightful book.

BY DAV E D O N A L D

This month’s volume is a classic. It is also a fun read with numerous examples that drive the various points home. Al Reis and Jack Trout are a couple of geniuses in the fields of marketing, advertising, and PR. I thoroughly enjoyed one of their other books, Positioning, and the book Ries wrote with his daughter, Laura, The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR. However, this book I devoured.

Broken into 22 chapters, one dedicated to each law, the book is an easy reference for future reflection, although I highly recommend a full read-through to get the most out of the subject. Prepare yourself; you will find a number of forehead-slapping “Aha!” moments as you read. Some of which you will recognize as absolute truths you never considered; others will be revelations that will have you completely re-thinking your own marketing efforts.

Let’s begin with a basic definition of the subject. Marketing is the Identification (research), Attraction (advertising and promotion), Acquisition (sales), and Retention (continued customer service) of customers. Note, most don’t realize that sales is part of marketing, and not a separate entity. With this definition of marketing, you are ready to dive in.

The first chapter is on leadership. The concept is that being first in the mind of your customer is a necessity if you want to dominate the competition.

The example of the first person to fly solo over the Atlantic begins the tale. If Lindbergh doesn’t immediately come to mind, you are in the minority.

Even if you don’t remember, once his name is mentioned you mentally respond, “Of course.” Now tell me the second person to accomplish this feat. His name was Bert Hinkler. He was a better pilot, took a more direct route, accomplished the trip in less time, and, by all performance metrics, did a better job. However, no one remembers Hinkler except his mother.

Oddly, you do remember the third person to make the solo crossing.

How can that be? Because it was a woman. That’s right — Amelia Earhart was the third person. What does that teach us? If you can’t be first, create a new category and be first at that. And thus begins the second chapter. Another example is beer. What is the first U.S. beer in people’s minds? Budweiser. What is the first light beer? Miller.

Knowing they couldn’t be first, Miller created a new category and became first at that.

Think about this as it relates to your business.

Maybe there was a shop in town that was absolutely dominant as a 2-channel audio store. They had exotic loudspeakers, $10,000 turntables, and phono cartridges that cost more than your car. They had listening evenings where customers gathered to put their heads in a vise as they marveled at the depth and width of the stereo image and the female vocal that appeared to float in space. They had been in business for 40 years and everyone knew that is where you went if you were serious about audio.

What do you do?

Well, you decided that the marriage of audio and video was an opportunity. You launched a store that was dedicated to home theater.

Massive two-piece projection systems, incredible surround-sound audio that put the local theater to shame. You demoed subwoofers that created low frequencies capable of stopping bodily functions.

Now the conversation changed. Sure, people were still impressed with the former store’s dedication to audio purism, but now others were talking about theatrical performance that was heretofore unimaginable. You created a new category and became the first in your customer’s mind.

This is how these chapters build. The one on owning a single word in the customer’s mind is fascinating. There is also the law of Focus.

Better to excel at a few things than attempt to be good at everything.

The law of Duality, where every competitive situation tends to become a two-horse race. The law of Predictability, where, unless you write your competition’s plan, you can’t predict the future. The law of Failure — failure is to be expected. Recognize it and cut your losses.

There is so much here to be appreciated. Opportunities to improve your marketing efforts abound in this book. I exhort you to dedicate some time, read all 22 laws, and see where it takes you. n

“If you can’t be first, create a new category and be first at that.” residen tial sy stems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

9

TheStrategist

The Fallacy That Marketing Is an Expense Marketing your business is a necessity, not an option.

B Y T I M F I T Z PAT R I C K

How do you see marketing for your business — is it an expense or is it an investment? This may seem like a trivial question, but how you answer it will have a significant impact on the success or failure of your business.

First, I think it’s essential to define marketing, expense, and investment to make sure we are on the same page: • An expense is the cost of operations that a company incurs.

Expenses by themselves don’t create more money; they cost money.

• An investment is something you allocate money toward in hopes of creating a profit or material result.

• Marketing is getting someone who has a need or problem you can solve to know, like, and trust you.

What happens when you view marketing as an expense?

I think most folks see expenses as a burden. Don’t you? Nobody wants to assume more costs. Most of us are continually looking for ways to cut costs, aren’t we?

One of the first items I see people cut when business slows down is their marketing spend. This is probably one of the worst things you can do when business slows down. Without marketing, there are no leads, customers, and revenue.

Do you see the problem in viewing marketing as an expense? Marketing is not something anyone should consider as an option or a “nice to have.” It’s essential for the health of your business.

What happens when you view marketing as an investment?

Most people view investments as a way to create more money from the money they already have. You put money in, and more comes out.

Investing is something you do (or at least should do) consistently.

“Getting the fundamentals in place before you

do anything will make the most significant difference in the return on investment you see with your marketing.

”

10 R E S I D E N T I A L

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r esi den tial systems.com

When we spend money on marketing, we expect to make money or see a return on the money we put in. So, by definition, marketing is an investment.

When done correctly, marketing can and should be an amazing investment. Successful companies have figured this out, and they become almost unstoppable. For example, if you know that putting $1 into your marketing will yield a $2 return, it’s like printing money. Who wouldn’t want a return like that?

If marketing is an investment, how can I maximize my return?

Marketing success is all about the fundamentals. Michael Jordan said, “Get the fundamentals down, and the level of everything you do will rise.”

For example, let’s say you decide to pay a marketing agency $1000 a month to help you with search engine optimization so you can drive more visitors to your website. What if the messaging on your website stinks? Will SEO be a good investment? Probably not.

When you skip the fundamentals, you are severely handicapping any marketing effort you make. Getting the fundamentals in place before you do anything will make the most significant difference in the return on investment you see with your marketing.

What are the marketing fundamentals?

Marketing strategy is where everything should start. A strong marketing strategy will nail down who your target market is, how you communicate with that market (messaging), and provide a system or plan you can follow.

Most of our clients come to us completely confused about marketing. There are so many marketing channels and “hot” marketing tactics that make it hard to focus. Here’s the problem: When you are battling confusion in your marketing, creating a strong marketing plan is nearly impossible.

Your continued success hinges on getting these fundamentals in place before you start worrying about your website, SEO, social media, or any other marketing channel. And when you have the fundamentals in place, everything else will become much easier.

Peter Drucker once said, “Marketing and innovation make money.

Everything else is a cost.”

Marketing isn’t a one-time event. It’s a process you will never stop and an investment in the growth of your business. Remember this, and it will serve you well in your business. n Tim Fitzpatrick is the President of Rialto Marketing. He spent 10+ years in the consumer electronics industry as a partner in a distribution company before getting into marketing consulting & digital marketing. He helps eliminate the confusion of marketing for system integrators so their business’ can grow.

HomeTheaterDesign

The Key to a Better Builder Relationship A home theater designer could be the builder liaison your business needs.

B Y L I S A S L AY M A N , P R I N C I PA L O F S L AY M A N C I N E M A

Big or small, elaborate or basic, a home theater is a collection of many moving parts. When you’re involved in a new construction project, there are even more pieces to fit into the puzzle.

The room dimensions and ceiling height, the structural composition of the space, HVAC, lighting and other mechanical and electrical requirements, space allocations for equipment, and the list goes on. Sure, as the AV integrator you may not be directly involved in the physical construction of a home theater, but your input is crucial to the overall objective of the project. You might not be building risers and prosceniums, but building and maintaining a strong, solid relationship with the builder is imperative — especially on luxury projects.

Your Builder Liaison The builder/integrator relationship has been an ongoing topic of discussion for years. Words of wisdom have been shared by your peers as well as from tech-savvy builders, including how to approach builders, how to communicate effectively with them, how to maintain a smooth workflow, and how to modify your business practices accordingly. But have you ever thought to enlist the help of a home theater designer to facilitate outreach and engagement with the builder? They can be a valuable communications liaison, mediator, and production manager — all with the goal of creating a space that’s structurally sound, visually stunning, and exceptional in its AV performance.

Strike While the Plans Are Hot Newly constructed home theaters are often given a certain allocated space within the home plans by an architect. The elements of this space, such as traffic flow and equipment placement, are typically not clearly defined yet, so it’s the perfect time for a home theater designer to collaborate with the builder, acoustician, and AV integrator. As the plans for the home theater are collectively formulated by the entire team, a set of detailed drawings and documents can be developed by the home theater designer as a framework for the builder to start putting costs together and alleviating some of the pressure and demands of doing this yourself. Moreover, getting a head start on this phase of the project saves confusion and missteps later, which typically cause time and cost overruns — risking profitability and client satisfaction.

12 R E S I D E N T I A L

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e si den tial systems.com

This commitment to collaboration benefits the AV integrator/ builder relationship immensely by providing a clear direction and a clearinghouse for the technology design and integration into the space. A home theater designer can provide a set of construction documents that serve as the road map for the builder to execute.

This precludes many issues from cropping up later on in the process, resulting in a more streamlined workflow, reduction in change orders, and greater success for your company. Plus, when a home theater designer handles the detailed drawings and documents for the project, that’s less labor, time, and money an AV integrator needs to spend.

A recent project, which according to our design plans would feature an ornate, complex “grid” on the ceiling integrating 26 custom-made speakers for a Dolby Atmos theater, could have been a real nightmare for both the builder and the AV integrator. By approaching the project with both the design and technology in mind, our home theater design team was able to develop a recommended construction plan that the builder could then implement. Sharing our collective design and technology requirements with the builder allowed him to build unique allowances to achieve proper speaker spacing that met Dolby Atmos specifications.

Similar situations occur when a large screen has been specified for the space. The room might have the dimensions to support the size of the screen, but when other elements are factored into the equation, such plans for a proscenium, the overall design of the space often needs to shift and shift quickly to maintain the quality of the visual presentation. By understanding the screen as a priority early on allows a home theater designer enough time to devise a solution. Thanks to input and modification of the original design concept from a home theater designer, a builder can proceed with his finish carpentry.

One Happy Home Theater Family In any working environment, having a neutral party take the lead can benefit everyone involved. A tech-savvy home theater designer can be this resource, facilitating a relationship between AV integrators and builders, while relieving you and your team of some of the burden, to ensure that all parties are on the same page and that the vision of the client is met in a timely, cost-effective manner. n With more than 20 years designing luxury home theaters for highend properties around the globe, plus an extensive understanding and appreciation for AV technology, Lisa Slayman of Slayman Cinema is a valuable resource for home systems integrators. Slayman Cinema has won several awards, including the International Best Overall Home Theater from CEDIA. Slayman is also a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and the International Design Association.

BusinessInsights DAVID STUART/GETTY IMAGES

Love at Work How to deal with office romances in the Me-Too era.

B Y C A R O LY N H E I N Z E

We spend a big part of our lives at work, so it’s no surprise that sometimes we fall in love with our colleagues. While certain organizations choose to implement policies concerning office romances, ultimately, it’s difficult to police matters of the heart — especially if the parties involved are solid professionals who have no performance issues. But when things go awry, can employers be held responsible in any way? Yes — or at least spurned, disgruntled employees may attempt to hold them responsible.

Employers can, however, take measures to protect themselves.

“The real issue is having a clear sexual harassment policy, and being very clear in developing a culture in your workplace, which is respect for everyone regardless of gender,” says Amy Nicole Baker, Ph.D., associate professor and assistant chair in the Psychology and Sociology Department at the University of New Haven, in West Haven, CT. “And second, if you do have a policy about consensual relationships in the workplace, a policy stating subordinates and supervisors should not be engaging in romantic relationships is a good place to start. And explain that policy in terms of things like conflicts of interest and perceived fairness.”

Alyssa Peters, attorney and partner at Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP, a national law firm, counsels her employer clients to include a mandatory disclosure policy in their employee handbooks.

“It is a requirement that if you enter into a romantic relationship with a co-worker, you have to notify HR so that it can be determined if there’s a conflict of interest, or some other type of issue we need to think about,” she explains. In some cases, this may result in one employee being moved to a different position.

Where employers get into trouble with this is when they place more importance on one person over the other, explains Brett Trembly, Esq., managing partner at Trembly Law Firm in Miami, FL. He uses a manager/subordinate relationship as an example: “Those two can agree, if they do [currently] work together, not to work together if their relationship is more important than the actual job positions,” he says. “But what you can’t do is say, ‘Well this person’s in management, they’re more important. I’m going to remove this [other] person from the team, or fire them, or put them in a different department,’ because that will lead to claims of discrimination.” In other words, the company is favoring the manager over the lower-ranking employee.

Another problem with mandatory disclosure is that people won’t necessarily follow the policy — especially if their office romance is also

an extra-marital affair. In drafting this policy, Peters advises companies to pay attention to their wording. “Have a mandatory policy that says, ‘Violating this policy may lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination,’” she says. “You don’t necessarily have to terminate them.

You would definitely want to discipline them pretty severely so they understand the serious nature of their conduct.”

One tactic some organizations opt for is prohibiting romantic relationships between colleagues outright. For Baker, this type of ban can create more problems for employers than striking a middle ground.

“If you absolutely forbid any kind of consensual relationship, that just drives it underground and people try to make it secret,” she says. After all, it’s impossible for anyone to control who people are attracted to — one of the strongest emotions in human nature. “[When employees are] attracted to each other, then they’ll keep everything a secret, and secrets are extremely corrosive in a workplace. And when the secret emerges, then it’s even more corrosive.”

Admittedly, organizations that prohibit office romances are doing so out of a desire to protect themselves. “Because it’s prohibited, nobody’s going to tell them, so they don’t have any knowledge of it, and then once it’s brought to their attention they have a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason to terminate both workers,” Peters says. However, what if one or (continued on page 41)

Already Coupled Up For companies that have yet to develop a policy mandating disclosure, or even forbidding romantic relationships among colleagues, it’s necessary to consider who works for you already.

“What do you do with the people that are already there and have that relationship? Do you think about grandfathering their relationship in? Or do you tailor your policy so they wouldn’t necessarily be in violation of it?” says Alyssa Peters, attorney and partner at Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP. “Because the biggest thing, in all employment context, is consistency in your policies — applying the policies that you have written in a consistent manner. And so if you already know that something exists — a relationship of that sort — then it may influence how you want to word your policy.” —C.H.

14 R E S I D E N T I A L

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e si den tial sy stems.com

Building Constructive Relationships How to grow your custom install business by establishing relationships with building professionals.

By Rob Lane One of the keys to running a successful custom installation business is maintaining strong links with building contractors — and hopefully getting involved at the early phase of a construction project. Indeed, the Home Technology Association (HTA) has made fostering relationships with builders a priority for its members. But how do AV professionals “get in” with building professionals, and how do they ensure that they’re on speed dial whenever a project gets green-lighted?

“Being established members of our local chamber of commerce has given us the opportunity to earn the trust of several builders in our area,” explains Jesse Silva, owner and president, The ProView Audio Video

Experience LLC. “The chamber hosts weekly meetings that allow us to network regularly, and we have established new relationships.”

Silva and his team have also used social media to contact builders, mainly Instagram, as it’s an easy way of observing how projects are progressing; what stage they are at, etc.

“The platform makes it very easy to see what they are doing on their projects by way of their posts, and in many cases provides us insight into what extent they are using technology in their builds.

If we notice a builder is not really implementing technology or offering very basic options, we can contact them and let them know how we as home technology professionals can help.”

There are lots of others ways of

contacting builders, of course, with some taking time and long-term commitments. Associations such as The National Association of Home Builders are a good start, but there are other less obvious “ins.”

“It’s worth joining Remodeler’s Councils of local HBSs,” says Scott Koehler, president, Dream Kitchen Builders, LLC. Visit Parade Homes and learn about their product, and visit Remodeled Home tours. Both of these last two are about the only time a GC will chat for an extended period of time.”

Koehler also suggests “touching base” with the realtors that list a builder’s home, as well as volunteering at events that the builders volunteer

“

First, learn about their construction business from others and from them. Next, determine if you and your product are a good fit for the builder. The best way to convince a builder to try your product is by telling them about another builder that you already work with.

SKYNESHER/GETTY IMAGES

16 R E S I D E N T I A L

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r esi den tial sy stems.com

”

—Scott Koehler, President, Dream Kitchen Builders, LLC HARD HAT BY JAKEOLIMB/GETTY IMAGES

SDI PRODUCTIONS/GETTY IMAGES

at, like Habitat for Humanity, and getting to know subcontractors that already work with builders.

“Last year there were 500,000 new homes built in the U.S. and 10 million remodels built,” he adds. “So there are 20 remodels to every new construction. Residential remodeling is more difficult than new construction in every way, and that’s the good news and the bad news.”

Sean Skelley, CEO and owner of Definitive, is convinced of the importance of finding likeminded builders to work with before making the AV contribution to builds invaluable.

“We believe it is critically important to identify builders who share your core values and approach to custom projects,” he says. “We are a performance specialist at Definitive, offering premium solutions in lighting, shades, networking, audio and video systems. We work to identify builders with similar qualities and work hard to get to know them. Becoming a true resource to the builder takes time to establish, a consistent effort, and coming through when it matters most.”

of integrators prefer to work with third parties, rather than approach building firms direct.

“One of the most consistent things I’ve heard from builders, especially custom home builders, is how frequently they are hit up by salespeople for every imaginable subcontracting trade,” confirms Steve Stary, executive vice president at Brilliant AV. “But, the AV trade is the most frequent. They also tell me that they are very unlikely to choose a trade based on a job site walk on. For this reason, I focus on getting referred to new builders from designers, clients, and other trades.”

Once a connection is established — directly or indirectly — is when the hard work of maintaining the relationship and proving just what an asset to building projects an AV professional can be.

To be successful in maintaining these

“

Landing the Approach How you approach builders is important, however. They get hit up by many different trades, so it’s easy to rub them up the wrong way if you go in too hard and fast. This is perhaps why a lot

relationships, it’s imperative to understand how construction projects work, from an architectural level up to final build — and also to educate the building professional in the magic of AV, showing how invaluable it can be.

“Once a connection is established, we are able to share the many benefits there are when working with a home technology professional who also happens to be a CEDIA member,” says Silva. “We explain that today’s home technology systems provide entertainment, convenience, security, and comfort — custom-designed to suit homeowners’ lifestyles — and when planned for in a new build or remodel, can provide a great experience for years to come. Furthermore, we advise that we are professionally trained and always strive to continuously expand

A builder is only as good as his or her subs, so they are reluctant to change unless there is a really clear benefit. I believe the best thing we can do is be a trusted partner to help them improve their business. A builder should never be treated as a single-sale relationship.

”

—Steve Stary, Executive Vice President, Brilliant AV residen tial sy stems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

17

“

We work to identify builders with similar qualities and work hard to get to know them.

Becoming a true resource to the builder takes time to establish, a consistent effort, and coming through when it matters most.

”

—Sean Skelley, CEO, Definitive

18 R E S I D E N T I A L

JPM/GETTY IMAGES

our knowledge in the latest technological innovations, so they don’t have to.”

Skelley adopted an architectural approach to system design in the early ’90s, as part of his business’ performance strategy. Understanding architecture when it comes to AV is crucial, particularly when you consider that building projects require a variety of different design and management services from several third parties — a complicated process.

“In our experience, all good projects start with a good design,” he explains. “Those builders that plan well, we work well with. We review the specifics of why, what, and how we approach custom system integration, providing examples of current engineering documentation and completed work.”

Listening to and understanding the challenges builders face is also crucial to a successful, ongoing relationship. As mentioned, construction involves a number of third-party stakeholders, including AV, and this creates huge challenges and headaches for building contractors.

“Construction projects are fraught with problems,” says Stary. “We should be a part of the solutions, not the problems. I think it is always imperative to listen to the challenges a builder is experiencing with their business and existing trade relationships.

“A builder is only as good as his or her subs, so they are reluctant to change unless there is a really clear benefit. I believe the best thing we can do is be a trusted partner to help them improve their business. A builder should never be treated as a single-sale relationship.”

“First, learn about their construction business from others and from them,” adds Koehler. “Next, determine if you and your product are a good fit

for the builder. The best way to convince a builder to try your product is by telling them about another builder that you already work with.”

Getting in Early Of course, being involved in a project from the get-go is hugely beneficial, and once relationships are established, this is obviously much more likely to occur. But while it’s best practice that AV is specified at the start of a build, and that building professionals can see the importance of this — in the same way that electrics and plumbing needs to be factored in and planned for before construction begins — sometimes AV professionals have to adopt a softly-softly approach.

“This is a big challenge because each phase of the project seems to occupy 100 percent of the builder’s and client’s attention,” explains Stary.

“In my experience, the best way to start the project is to only bring the required decisions to the table at each stage of the job.

“As designers, we want to figure out the whole scope up front, but it’s very difficult to get those decisions before the deadline for those decisions is looming. Not to say we shouldn’t have a budget, but not pushing for too much detail too early is a good practice to keep the door open.”

Obviously, once relationships are established,

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r esi den tial sy stems.com

and trust cemented, it is a lot easier to become involved at the early stages of a build, and with today’s building professionals being a lot more educated about AV, early stage involvement is more commonplace.

“Once you truly become a trusted resource to the builder, getting involved early becomes much easier,” says Skelley. “If you have not established that bond, it rarely if ever happens. It’s critically important to continue to re-evaluate and modify your offerings/process to meet the demands of the market and your builder partners.”

“These days it is actually becoming a bit more painless to get builders to see the benefits of what we, home technology professionals, have to offer,” adds Silva. “That doesn’t mean we have it easy, but many are beginning to ‘get it’. We just have to continue to educate and build trust that bringing us into the process early is the best way to ensure the client gets what they want and, in many cases, demand.”

Can Certification Help?

As well as the hard work of integrators themselves, it’s thanks to organizations like HTA that builders are more educated than in previous years with regard to the value of AV, but opinion appears to be mixed as to the extent of the HTA’s influence.

“Having a certification is important because it

“

“

Being established members of our local chamber of commerce has given us the opportunity to earn the trust of several builders in our area.

The chamber hosts weekly meetings that allow us to network regularly, and we have established new relationships.

”

— Jesse Silva, Owner and President, The ProView Audio Video Experience LLC r e s i d e n t i a lsyste m s. c om | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

19

value our relationships with the builder community and look forward to investing more time and energy developing them further.” n 1_4p Enclosure Box.qxp_WIRE BUSHINGS 1 4 pg 7 09 7/2/18 2:53 PM Page 1

NON-METALLIC • INDOOR/OUTDOOR

ENCLOSURE

BOXES

PROTECT SECURITY DEVICES, POWER BACKUPS Installed EB1212BP with Back Plate

oor Outdted Ra

• 4 sizes... with or without a backplate.

Back plate allows for maintenance - mounting of components after box is installed

Lockable

EB12126 12" x 12" x 6" (not shown)

Arlington's OUTDOOR RATED enclosure boxes protect and secure power backups, security devices and other valuable equipment.

• Heavy-duty, UV rated gray or black material

EBL1

©2012-2014 Arlington Industries, Inc.

helps build trust,” opines Silva. “Whether you are HTA-certified, CEDIA-certified, or not, it can be a great differentiator in ultimately being chosen as a partner in a project, and it shows that you care about your business.”

“Certifications may or may not be a door opener, but that’s where it ends with builders in my opinion — or at least that’s been my experience,” says Koehler. “Builders are very down to earth and very focused on actions much more than words.”

The issue is that building professionals are too busy with the business of building, as well as concentrating on their own professional organizations, to appreciate AV industry certifications.

“Honestly, builders don’t know enough about our industry to recognize the value of certifications,” says Stary. “I think certification is as valuable as we can make it in our marketing.”

Stary reckons that a referral from another trade that they respect holds a lot more weight than any certification, so perhaps it could be SKYNESHER/GETTY IMAGES viewed as added value at the very least when it comes to building trust with construction pros. Relationships and referrals always tend to trump awards and certificates, and ultimately it’s a results business: it’s a truism that you’re only as good as your last job.

“In theory everything that you do — if done well — should lead to additional work,” says Koehler. “I did a high volume of new construction from 1992 to 2000, and had great relationships with a small number of builders.”

It’s also true that those businesses that continue to educate themselves, and to evolve within new working environments — as well as helping to develop and educate those they work with — tend to be the most successful.

“Working with builders has taught us to be a better subcontractor,” explains Skelley. “From design, documentation, project management, project administration, ongoing support, and repair: all aspects of these disciplines have driven our investment in people, process, and product.

“Our builder partners continue to provide new project opportunities. We

• Meet NEMA 3R requirements EB1212 12" x 12" x 4"

EB1111 11" x 11" x 3.5"

EBL1 cam lock Sold Separately

EB0708BL 7" x 8" x 3.5" C

800/233-4717 • www.arlingtonlowvoltage.com

Enlightening Experience Lutron’s NYC Experience Center gives clients a demo they won’t soon forget.

By Anthony Savona For architects, interior designers, and home automation professionals — as well as their clients — the Decoration & Design (D&D) Building in Manhattan is a godsend. There you will find over 130 showrooms (including CI stalwarts Lutron and Crestron) representing over 3000 manufacturers in the residential and commercial interior design businesses. It is where those trades take their clients to communicate and demonstrate the possibilities that can exist in their homes; where they go for training; and where they can experience the latest trends and technologies for themselves.

Lutron opened its NYC Residential Experience Center there two years ago, and late last year introduced a revamped version to keep up their evolving product lines and offerings. “We’re in a

really great location, here in the D&D domain, because this is a hub for architects and designers, and they spend a lot of their time here,” says Brittany Milz, associate sales representative – NYC Residential Experience Center for Lutron.

“It’s a one-stop shop. For decoration and design work, you can be really well educated here.”

Take the Tour Once arriving at the D&D Building, getting to the Lutron Experience Center is easy — in fact, they entertain a number of walk-ins each day. The Center is designed to take customers on a logical tour of what Lutron can do in their homes, so adjacent to the reception desk is the Caséta display.

“The big things we focus on at the beginning

The main sitting room at the Lutron NYC Experience Center where the versatility of the Ketra system is shown.

The living room space shows off Lutron’s smart shade technology.

20 R E S I D E N T I A L

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r es iden tial systems.com

of the tours are our entry-level Caséta and then we also talk about zone control,” says Milz. “We give people an understanding on how those parts and pieces are linked together. Then we give an overarching story that goes into more of our systems, as well as how we create solutions.” And, as they explain how it works, the customer sees it in action.

The wire-free Caséta system gets plenty of attention from NYC apartment dwellers — many of whom can’t easily add a wired system to their homes. With Caséta, they see the opportunities to have lights wherever they want them, and are introduced to scene control, which can also include shades and audio.

Moving to the back of the space, there is a bank of windows that cleverly conceal three different types of motorized Lutron shades, in various shades of transparency. As the shades silently raise and lower in unison, you can see them gradually get darker as you look from left to right, but even in the darkest setting, you can still see a portion of the outside world, though it is obscured.

“The common misconception that a lot of people have is that you have to use lighter fabrics if you want to see more of what’s outside and not feel as though you are in box,” says Milz. “With this display, customers realize they can still see out even if the shades are darker.”

Of course, if you are looking for that kind of total blackout darkness that people like for bedrooms and home theaters, Lutron can handle that as well.

Moving beyond the windows, there is a lifestyle area that includes kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom demos. The kitchen and bedroom feature Lumaris LED lighting, under the counter in the kitchen and around the base of the bed in the bedroom, providing a safe walk at night for a midnight snack or late-night restroom break.

The bedroom features Palladiom keypads on either side of the bed, one slightly more advanced than the other, so hopefully the clients can peacefully decide among themselves who

gets more buttons. Each panel offers individual lighting control, including the ability for one partner to sleep while the other reads, so that should keep the peace. One button press invokes a nighttime scene that draws long curtains along the wall and lowers the lights to off, leaving only the soft glow of the track lighting beneath the bed. Another push sets the room back to where it was.

The bathroom features the company’s automated horizontal sheer and Venetian blinds.

These two solutions offer different privacy and light-blocking features to meet individual needs and styles. A skylight in the bathroom is covered by a solid, blackout automated tension screen.

residen tial systems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

21

“Bottom-up shades are a growing trend, and we find our customers want to see how that solution works,” says Milz. “Although we don't display a bottom-up shade in this space, our skylight, a tensioned shade, uses the same design.”

Once they see all that can be done with shades and automation, Milz states that clients typically wonder how all of it is going to be powered, so the Experience Center has set up a mock HomeWorks control panel tucked away behind what would be the bedroom closet. It is not actually running the space, but provides a good example of what a sophisticated home system would entail, and gives them renewed appreciation for their integrator.

Lutron will soon be adding blackout shades and drapery around the living room space to show how Ketra works in a theater situation.

The kitchen area features under-counter lighting to guide clients to a midnight snack.

The bedroom area shows off a bedtime scene that dims the lights, lowers the shades, and pulls the curtain along the wall.

The Ketra Experience As you leave the bedroom area, there is a bookcase and painting on the wall that gives visitors their first taste of Ketra in action. Using the painting, Milz shows how Ketra can be used to saturate the colors in the painting, calling attention to different attributes of the picture as she does so. Though a simple demo, it really shows the power a lighting system can have to enhance the space.

Moving through the bedroom, visitors enter a living room area where the Ketra system is put through its paces, including pulling out the vibrancy of a plant on the coffee table, and going through an entire day’s circadian rhythm in the space of a few minutes. Additionally, the space shows how Ketra can automatically match the interior lighting to the light that is coming in through the windows.

Ketra has the ability to create over 16 million colors, so there are myriad possibilities, and the control app is easy enough for a child to use. “We had clients come in with their son, and we gave him the tablet that controls the Ketra system to keep him occupied while we took the parents on the tour,” says Milz. “And once the dad saw what his son was doing with Ketra, he told his interior designer that he had to have it.”

The Ketra system usually leads to a deeper conversation on lighting and the impact it has in the home. “We’re seeing a lot more dealers and designers bringing in their clients to show the difference between 2700K and 3000K Kelvin,” adds Milz. “We’re able to demo that and change the intensity. A lot of people don’t understand that lighting is the most powerful tool to being able to pinpoint objects, and that demonstration is unique to this space.”

In fact, the Ketra system has been such a highlight at the Experience Center that they are

22 R E S I D E N T I A L

SYSTEMS

expanding its use throughout the facility. The back portion of the room, where the roller shade demos are, has already added Ketra lighting, and Lutron will soon install blackout blinds on the windows and a blackout drapery in the front of the space to create a home theater–like area that will show the full power of the versatile system.

Samples and Training That completes the Experience Center Tour, but there are two more areas of note. The first is sample wall, where customers can see hundreds of different panel styles and shade fabrics. They provide samples that can be taken home to help in the decision process.

The final area is a training room that sits in its own space next to the mock living room. There, Lutron holds regular classes for integrators, designers, and architects.

“We host a lot of international groups in here — a lot of specifiers and integrators,” says Milz.

The bathroom area shows off Lutron’s Venetian and horizontal blinds, as well as an automated tension blind over the skylight.

“We sometimes have groups of lighting designers, architects, and sales professionals coming from around the country to be educated on our products. We get two to three training groups in here each week. We're always busy.”

Always hosting and walk-ins welcome…that sums it up pretty well. If you are in the New York City-area, the Lutron Experience Center is a resource that you and your clients need to see to believe. n

First Light: Getting to Know Ketra For many trades and clients, the Ketra demonstration at the Lutron Experience Center is their first interaction with smart lighting and the many, many variations it offers. Michael Smith, vice president and general manager of residential sales-USA at Lutron, answers a few questions about the reactions to the technology, and how quickly they can learn to implement and use the system.

Resi: Is there a steep learning curve for Ketra with architects, integrators, lighting designers, and end users?

Michael Smith: Lighting has taken center stage around the topic of personal wellness in the home, so interest levels among all these groups are high – particularly for the integrator community who see Ketra lighting solutions as the next growth opportunity for their business. Natively integrating Ketra lighting solutions into a Lutron HomeWorks lighting control system makes this a powerful “bulb to button” offering that transforms the look of any home and differentiates them in the market.

For lighting designers, there’s little to no learning curve with a Ketra lighting system. Lighting designers already understand the power of light and the importance of balancing it in the home, but what’s likely new to them are the patented innovations that power a Ketra system. Things like proprietary color mixing and driver technology that enables Ketra systems to generate very high-quality white light with a high degree of precision, or Ketra Vibrancy — Ketra’s unique ability to tune only the individual colors that make white light at a given white-correlated color temperature (CCT).

Combining their existing lighting knowledge with a Ketra system’s innovative ability to create unique lighting experiences that mimic daylight and connect clients seamlessly with the outdoors creates a whole new world of lighting opportunities.

For interior designers and homeowners, the advanced Ketra lighting system opens up a whole new world for people who may or may not have a strong familiarity with lighting. An immersive Ketra demonstration will get them thinking about lighting in ways they never thought possible in a home.

For us, that’s the magic of a Ketra lighting system — creating an immersive, transformative home with the press of a button.

The classroom at the Experience Center seems to be an ideal place for meet and greets for architects and integrators. Do you ever hold them there? How would an integrator know when they occur?

Lutron frequently hosts third-party events at its experience centers. Events include local chapter meetings for groups like AIA and ASID, as well as dealerhosted events geared toward educating local specifiers. The local salesforce is in frequent contact with our customers and lets them know about opportunities. Lutron integrators are always welcome to use these facilities for their own customer events.

What has been the conversion rate of visitors to the Center to Ketra systems?

The Ketra demonstration allows you to experience high-quality, dynamic light that shifts in accordance with sunlight, your mood or the task at hand. Ketra lighting systems will expose specifiers, designers, and homeowners to new uses for lighting in the home. For some, the killer app will be highlighting a vibrant piece of artwork or ensuring the perfect lighting for applying makeup and readying for the day. To others, it’s about creating the perfect lighting environment for entertaining and relaxing or feeling seamlessly connected to the outdoors.

Lutron integrators are excited about this new approach to lighting and the benefits to their clients. So much so, Lutron integrators are creating their own immersive Ketra demonstrations in their showrooms that showcase the power of integrating high-quality LED light with a HomeWorks control system. We expect to see continued, sustainable growth in this area of our business.

Have there been any studies that connect Ketra’s abilities to home wellness?

Though third-party studies exist connecting lighting to wellness, Lutron does not make any health-related claims for its products.

residen tial systems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

23

2020 Residential Systems Stellar Service Awards Winners RE SI

020 •2

IAL SYSTEMS T N DE

The readers have spoken on their favorite manufacturer and dealer training programs.

Few things leave as lasting an impression as good service — in fact, probably the closest thing to it is bad service. As residential integration business owners and installers, you know the value of going the extra mile for your customers.

Fortunately, the manufacturers and dealers that serve this market are aware of that, too, and offer a number of extraordinary service programs that can help you enhance your business, train your employees, and save you money.

Each year we shine a spotlight on these programs with the Stellar Service Awards, which are here to not only celebrate the winners, but to increase awareness of what is available to you.

The Stellar Service Awards are a paid-entry, opt-in awards competition. Any company could nominate itself for as many categories as it wished. All entries were then posted online and voted on by Residential Systems readers during a ten-day judging period. The top three vote getters in each category were awarded Platinum, Gold, or Silver honors. In categories where there were two or fewer programs, the awards were delivered according to popular vote.

Here are the winners of the 2020 Residential Systems Stellar Service Awards:

DISTRIBUTOR PROGRAMS Customer Service/General Communications PLATINUM WINNER BlackWire Designs BlackWire’s goal is to redefine the role of the distributor. The company doesn’t just sell products to its customers; it strives to be their partner, working with them to deliver the ultimate integrated systems for their clients. A key element in achieving this goal is delivering unrivalled customer support. The first way BlackWire does this is through providing a variety of online resources to help educate its customers and make their installations quicker and easier, whether it’s step-by-step instruction guides, articles, configuration examples, or a massive two-way driver library. The second way is through its technical support, an area in which the company really excels. Not only does BlackWire reply to phone calls and support tickets, but it also offers a built-in chat system on its website — a feature unique to the distributors.

And while other distributors limit their support to normal business hours, BlackWire is available after hours as needed to accommodate customers

24 R E S I D E N T I A L

that may be working on projects late at night or on the weekends.

Learn more: www.blackwiredesigns.com GOLD WINNER PowerHouse Alliance PowerHouse Alliance distributor members are a great resource for dealers across the country.

Dealers are supported in their installation efforts with system design, technical support, best installation practices, and full stock of the newest security, network, audio/video, home control, and accessory products from a variety of popular tier one brands. The PowerHouse Alliance provides dealers with convenient warehouse locations reaching over 850,000 square feet across 54 locations.

Dealers can leverage one-on-one customer service from PowerHouse distributor members by visiting one of the many convenient warehouse locations. Staff are available for support and expertise when selecting products, for best installation practices, system design, and technical support/troubleshooting.

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e si den tial sy stems.com

Knowledgeable on-site staff members are available daily to provide information on the newest products and technologies in the industry. Members are happy to provide product knowledge and regular communication about upcoming events, demos days, and training programs on top brands, as well as special deals.

Convenience is priority, so distributor members make ordering easy for dealers through 24-hour will-call, same day will-call/delivery, and onsite delivery options. All PowerHouse Alliance members send out regular updates on the latest products, and weekly specials for dealers to take advantage of.

Learn more: www.powerhousealliance.com Sales/Marketing Support PLATINUM WINNER PowerHouse Alliance The PowerHouse Alliance is a national consortium of distributors spanning the continental U.S., with regional members that are well established in their territories with tight knit relationships with all of their dealers and vendors.

PowerHouse Alliance members recognize the importance of Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory for dealers and integrators. Each of the 54 warehouse locations across the country include 2500–5000 square feet of self-shop space, where dealers can come in and pick up everything they need for same day or next day installations. For convenience, all PowerHouse Alliance members offer same day and next day delivery because time is money, so the distributor group prioritizes efficiency and convenience. There are always trained experts on hand to help dealers with product suggestions, system design, and any technical or customer service inquiries. All locations also offer refreshments, snacks, and sometimes even a weekly lunch to help keep customers fueled without requiring an extra stop in their day. In today’s fast-paced business, the PowerHouse Alliance helps dealers and integrators be more efficient by providing them with everything they need from a wide range of products from system design, to technical and marketing support.

PowerHouse Alliance dealers and integrators also rely on their distributor for ongoing education to ensure they are comfortable selling and installing the latest products and technologies from residential AV to networking, security, and commercial AV. Each month PowerHouse Alliance publishes its training, education, and events schedule that spans the continental US and is open to all dealers.

The PowerHouse Alliance and its members run an active and responsive social media community for promoting new products, upcoming events, trainings, and the latest news across the group, as well as responding to inbound questions and potential leads.

Learn more: www.powerhousealliance.com

Training Programs PLATINUM WINNER PowerHouse Alliance All 13 PowerHouse Alliance distributor members offer extensive training and event schedules to dealers all year long. Dealers benefit from expertise and support to assist with their busy installation schedules. Monthly trainings from PowerHouse Alliance distributor members include manufacturer demos, updates, and education sessions at dozens of convenient locations across the country. To date, the PowerHouse Alliance members collectively represent 850,000 square feet of warehouse space across 54 locations, a number that continues to grow year after year.

In 2019, PowerHouse Alliance distributor members collectively hosted more than 150 trainings and trade show events. These events included new product and technology trainings, regional trade shows, and special events to celebrate dealers and vendors. Trainings provide dealers with updates on home control, networking, audio/ video, security, and other installation best practices for vendors including Sonos, TechLogix, Samsung, Lutron, Yamaha, Hikvision, Luxul, URC, and more.

On top of helpful product trainings that dealers and technicians can access at warehouse locations across the country, members often host special events designed to bring trainings and manufacturing demos to dealers with the added fun of special deals, rewards, refreshments, and giveaways. Dealers stay updated on upcoming trainings and events through social media, the PowerHouse Alliance website, and newsletters from the PowerHouse Alliance member in their area. Dealers benefit from the expertise and support provided by the distributor members.

Knowledgeable staff are always ready to help with technical support and system design. Ordering is

made easy with 24-hour will-call, same day will-call, and on-site delivery options from most locations.

The PowerHouse Alliance provides dealers with everything they need to stay educated on the latest products and technologies, to help them better serve their customers and ultimately increase revenue.

Learn more: www.powerhousealliance.com

service is an extension of that renowned Lutron quality. Enhancements to our service platform have provided us with a 360-degree view of our customers so that we can deliver proactive support to meet and exceed all customer expectations. As we focus on making it easy to do business with Lutron, our customer-facing teams resolve issues and provide innovative ideas to support all our customers so that their businesses can grow and develop, too.

Exceeding customer expectations also includes Lutron’s ability to support our products, which our service team delivers on. This team is comprised of individuals who care deeply about each customer and who ensure that every contact

with Lutron Customer Service is an enjoyable one. Every day in Lutron Customer Service is a wonderful new opportunity to share the benefits of our amazing products and the knowledge of our dedicated staff.

Learn more: www.Lutron.com

Web Portal/Online Tools PLATINUM WINNER BlackWire Designs BlackWire’s exceptional customer support starts at its website, which stands out from the pack with its unrivalled ease of use. While navigating most distributors’ sites is a chore — even if integrators know the exact product they’re looking for — BlackWire’s offers a clean, simple tool that allows its customers to find their solution quickly and easily, from HDMI distribution to water leak detection — and just about everything in between. In addition, a convenient driver marketplace offers an extensive range of software for deep integration with the Control4 and URC platforms, including the ability to remotely manage drivers and their systems.

But the site really shines when integrators don’t know what they’re looking for. With its built-in chat system, the BlackWire team is there to assist in finding the perfect product. If they need technical support, the website features a built-in ticketing system as well. And the company will respond to those tickets after hours and on weekends. If the technical support team really needs to get handson with the problem, they can even log into an integrator’s computer remotely. Finally, for its customers who are hungry for knowledge about different technologies, BlackWire also maintains an extensive database of informative articles and guides.

Learn more: www.blackwiredesigns.com

MANUFACTURER PROGRAMS Customer Service/General Communications PLATINUM WINNER D-Tools Customer Success and Support D-Tools Customer Success and Support Professionals are continuously expanding efforts in providing D-Tools users with access to support and training resources geared to help both new and long-time customers become more successful with D-Tools software.

Learn more: www.d-tools.com/support_main GOLD WINNER Lutron Lutron’s first principle is to take care of the customer. Lutron’s passion for outstanding

SILVER WINNER Crestron True Blue Support Services At Crestron, we’re committed to all of our customers, and our specialists are always ready to assist. On Crestron.com, customers have access to our live support teams where they can chat with a member of our award-winning True Blue Support team and get the answers they

residen tial sy stems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

25

RE SI

020 •2

IAL SYSTEMS NT DE

need immediately. A variety of resources including technical guides, spec sheets, and manuals, are also available 24/7 free of charge.

The Crestron Residential Webinar Series is a program designed to provide the best training to integrators to help them succeed. Crestron is more committed than ever to the residential market and each webinar includes guest speakers to speak on various topics. Each webinar gives integrators the opportunity to submit questions to the presenters to receive immediate feedback or have the question be answered in more detail in future webinars.

Learn more: www.crestron.com/en-US/Support Dealer Programs PLATINUM WINNER Control4 Certified Showroom Program The Control4 Certified Showroom program provides dealers worldwide with an opportunity to demonstrate their products and services to homeowners, architects, builders, and designers in their local area. The program was developed in response to homeowner demand to be able to “try before they buy” so that they are able to understand how the Control4 technology can fit into and convenience their daily lives.

Control4 Certified Showroom Dealers are supported in advancing their showroom space with product, like the new Neeo Remote for Control4, that will help them in “wow-ing” their potential customers. These Certified Showroom Dealers have met a series of elevated standards and receive training on smart home demos curated to show top features including smart lighting, multi-room audio and video, comfort, voice control, home networking, and security.

The Control4 Certified Showroom program has been paired with the #C4Yourself Day event, held twice a year, which invites customers to attend a local showroom to converse with a dealer, demo smart home products, and begin designing systems for their home or their customers’ homes. Control4 Certified Showroom Dealers also benefit from marketing and sales support, including showroom design, branding guides, discounted demonstration products, regional advertising and much more.

Having a Control4 Certified Showroom enhances dealers’ ability to sell smart home to potential customers. With a growing ecosystem of nearly 14,000 interoperable devices, many homeowners learn that there’s more they can do with a smart home when they can experience it firsthand under the guidance of a professional

26 R E S I D E N T I A L

within a Certified Showroom.

Learn more: www.control4.com/local/all/ GOLD WINNER Crestron Technical Institute Available only for Crestron Authorized Dealers and Partners, Creston Technical Institute (CTI) provides exclusive training for Crestron products at our worldwide and regional offices and through online classes. Cultivate your installation, system design, and programming skills and excel as a professional in our comprehensive training program.

The Crestron Residential Webinar Series provides a dealer with the tools needed to capture and design a customer’s lifestyle and environment. During this hands-on course, integrators can learn installation requirements and how to tailor residential system’s to their customer’s desires. If an integrator is unable to attend a webinar, they can access a recording to receive any information they may have missed.

Learn more: www.crestron.com/Training-Events/ Training Sales/Marketing Support PLATINUM WINNER Legrand | AV Working with Legrand | AV means integrators can do one-stop shopping with a trusted manufacturer. Partnering with the top CI integrators in the country, Legrand | AV offers a single source of contact, on-site project support, and access to industry-leading design services like Luxul’s Customer Assurance Program (CAP).

CAP offers free certified wired and wireless network designs that are guaranteed to meet end users’ reliability and performance requirements. To participate in CAP, dealers simply register their projects at www.luxul. com/assurance, where they provide project details and requirements. Based on this input, Luxul engineers will deliver a complete custom network design, including both required and optional equipment, along with educational materials meant to inform end users about the importance of a solid network, remote and internet content management, and more.

Dealers simply install the network based on the supplied design and complete it with a remote management platform. The support team is available to dealers requiring assistance configuring their certified networks, while any product experiencing a failure will be promptly replaced. If the wired or wireless network

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r esi den tial sy stems.com

doesn’t perform as expected, Luxul provides any additional equipment to meet customers’ expectations at no additional cost.

Additionally, the Legrand | AV Sales and Marketing support team offers: All of the tools dealers need to master individual Legrand | AV brands and bring them together to transform smart homes.

These include brochures, white papers, videos, e-books, guides, configurators, etc.

Design services: Programming, commissioning, and providing superior field technical support across multiple Legrand | AV brands Field support and in-person training when a dealer enters a new product category Builder demand generation, with a specialized team creating specifications and pull-through for installation partners Expert technical support across all product areas Local support in every U.S. territory Learn more: www.legrandav.com GOLD WINNER Crestron Electronics, Inc. Welcoming more than 18,000 visitors from around the globe since its opening in 2011, the Crestron Design Showroom in New York City was Crestron’s first exhibit space designed to accommodate homeowners, decision makers, influencers, design-build professionals, and technology professionals alike. The showroom provides an ideal setting for guests to immerse themselves in Crestron technology solutions and experience first-hand how it can enhance their lives at home. While design-build professionals create the spaces in which people live, Crestron designs the technology that makes them feel like home. The showroom demonstrates how by replicating a NYC luxury apartment. The Crestron Design Showroom is a great tool for our residential dealers to not only put their clients at ease with smart home technology, but to also see how life-changing it can be. Crestron’s commitment extends to three other showrooms located in Arizona, Florida, and Texas.

Our Sales Support Services (SSS) Department is comprised of a team of experienced solution engineers and administrators, dedicated to delivering world-class service to our customers.

Our team provides assistance with all technical, pricing, system design, and quotation-related inquiries; perform comparative analysis for competitive projects and quotes; provide sales

tools, information, application drawings, design/ best-practices guides, CAD/Visio-Blocks, Revit/ BIM Files, and architectural and CSI format specifications.

Learn more: www.crestron.com SILVER WINNER Vanco International Vanco International has a 60 plus-year legacy in the residential and commercial AV industry, engineering, manufacturing, and selling premium audio/video products and electronic accessories. Vanco’s knowledgeable team of support representatives and technology experts deliver stand-out sales and marketing support to distributors and dealers. The technology experts and support staff at Vanco International offer integrators and dealers a combination of technical support, as well as assistance with orders, and expert advice on system design.

Vanco’s support staff not only offer remote support, but they are also available on-site during vendor events including tradeshows, roadshows, counter days, and dealer appreciation events.

The team leads national training webinars that give distributors the continuous education they need to confidently recommend and install all Vanco, Evolution, Beale Street Audio, and PulseAudio products. The Vanco team is also happy to lead tailored training webinars on a number of topics by request from dealers and distributors in order to improve their day-to-day business.

Marketing support from Vanco International includes custom end-cap programs, custom distributor signage, giveaway items, POP displays, custom event and promotional flyers, and product demo displays for in-store use. To assist vendors as they expand their marketing efforts, Vanco provides product images, catalogs, sales sheets, and other product info packs to assist with project bids and presentations. Vanco is committed to providing products of the highest quality. One hundred percent of active products are tested at Vanco International headquarters in Illinois. A second round of testing ensures all products are functioning up-to-spec before shipping to distributors.

Vanco is dedicated to helping dealers produce high-quality customer experiences across home theater, premium audio, and commercial installations. Support representatives can be reached five days per week via phone or the live chat feature on the Vanco website. For 24-hour support, dealers can email support staff.

Learn more: www.vanco1.com

Shipping/Freight Policies PLATINUM WINNER Vanco International Vanco International offers free freight policies that are among the most competitive in the AV industry. When installers have immediate product needs, Vanco International is happy to offer expedited shipping on any of their 3000+ product SKUs. In an effort to eliminate the possibility of errors or delays in the shipping process, Vanco has implemented an innovative, state-of-the-art tracking process that improves efficiency and gives their customers peace of mind. Customers are given live shipping updates on all orders via Vanco’s thorough tracking system to ensure customer satisfaction. Vanco has recently implemented a new shipping system where orders are manually screened, and pickers scan each product to compare serialized products against the corresponding purchase order numbers to ensure accuracy and to eliminate any possibility that distributors may be selling to resellers who violate MAP pricing. Vanco values the rights of our distributors and protects them by not selling to any end users.

Learn more: www.vanco1.com GOLD WINNER Crestron Electronics, Inc. Crestron understands that success is based on a total commitment to delivering the highest quality product for our customers. It is this dedication to excellence that has set us apart as a leading product manufacturer for more than four decades. We’ve always taken quality control seriously, and it shows. Year after year, Crestron products consistently earn the reputation as the most reliable in our industry. But we’re still not satisfied.

Crestron’s manufacturing and shipping moved to a brand-new home in 2019. Our 90,000 squarefoot facility in Orangeburg, NY, also features office space and a stunning employee cafe. The new facility exemplifies Crestron’s commitment to continuous evolution and growth. By relocating 16 departments and housing them under one roof, our teams can better work in synergy to design, build, test, package, and ship products faster and more efficiently than ever before.

Learn more: www.crestron.com Training Programs PLATINUM WINNER D-Tools Professional Services Group D-Tools’ Professional Services Group offers hands-

on consultation, training, and implementation support to help overall success with the software.

This team’s primary goal is ensuring that all aspects of training and implementation are consistent and effective.

Learn more: www.d-tools.com/professional_ services_packagespackages/ GOLD WINNER Just Add Power The Just Add Power Training Days Program combines the skills of J+P’s experienced staff with a relaxed, bespoke, and integrator-centered experience. Led by education director and engineering & support team manager Eric Martin, the three-day training sessions stays true to the evolutionary product philosophy of the company — covering the entire chain of use including product tutorials, system design, installation scenarios, and troubleshooting. The course allows integrators (and their families) to enjoy a beautiful Florida beachside setting as well as giving them access to the expert staff at all levels of the company, including meeting with the president, Ed Qualls. Dinners with the team lets attendees witness first-hand the culture of J+P, valuing a deep product knowledge, teamwork, collaboration, and making the job fun.

In addition, J+P is now offering more training areas for its manufacturing partners. Recently, the company relocated its headquarters to a new 40,000-square-foot building in Seminole, FL. Unofficially nicknamed the TARDIS, the new facility is significantly larger than the company’s previous location. Taking advantage of the extra room, J+P has outfitted the facility with three training spaces, including a 24-seat classroom, a more intimate 12-seat classroom, and a large classroom/multi-purpose space that holds about 150 people. These spaces are available for free to any of the company’s manufacturing partners that want to use them.

Learn more: www.justaddpower.com SILVER WINNER Lutron Lutron Electronics provides intensive, hands-on courses for our professionals — including dealers, contractors, specifiers, lighting designers, and more — to learn how to design, commission, and troubleshoot Lutron solutions. In addition to technical training programs, Lutron provides sales and business education to ensure our customers receive a high level of service from our professionals. Lutron harnesses the power (continued on page 40)

residen tial sy stems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

27

Tech Showcase:

Power Management A look at what some of the more recent entries to the category bring to the home.

By Resi Staff It’s with some relief that we are reaching the point now where many clients have at least heard of power management, even if they don’t fully understand all it can do for their home — not to mention how helpful remote management and monitoring is for integrators.

Here we take a look at some of the latest additions to this product category, and what they can mean for your clients and your business.

SurgeX Squid  Brand new from SurgeX is the Squid power management device, which was just introduced at ISE. Squid packs an array of power quality features into a single chassis that is designed to fulfill the unique needs of the growing number of collaborative flex and huddle space environments, but could definitely find its way into high-end home systems.

Squid includes two 5V USB port inputs for charging and network troubleshooting and eight outputs — four of which are traditional controlled and monitored IEC receptacles and four are DC, so integrators can eliminate the need for wall warts or a two-box solution. By using a relaybased system, the AC and DC ports can be controlled, the device can be monitored, and it can be integrated into third-party control systems.

Squid offers SurgeX Axess ELITE capabilities, including sequencing, scheduling, auto-ping, IP Control, monitoring, and management. It also features built-in diagnostic monitoring, similar to the SurgeX enVision, providing a single solution for management, mitigation, and control of the system’s power.

Squid measures electrical parameters, including voltage, current, power, frequency, power factor, and crest factor, and provides time stamped power quality events, and an internal storage of 30 days’ worth of max/min/average electrical parameters.

28 R E S I D E N T I A L

Nortek Security & Control – Panamax, Furman, and BLUEBolt  Power management also means finding places for those power cords and wall warts, as well as power protection, in addition to remote monitoring. Nortek covers both those fronts with recent products from Panamax, Furman, and BLUEBolt.

Two new Panamax vertical power distribution units — the VT-EXT12 and VT-EXT16 — add flexible protected power to the system rack. The 12- and 16-outlet configurations mount vertically at the back of the rack, placing power where it’s needed and reducing cable lengths.

The slim design of each unit allows for easy workflow, while clip mounts make for a quick installation. The spacing allows for large transformers, such as wall warts. The 12-inch heavy duty extension cable — the 15-EXT1 — is designed for extra-large transformer and wall warts.

While all Panamax Vertex models can be used as stand-alone power distribution units, when plugged into Panamax and Furman power conditioners they share all the AC line protection and AC line filtering from the power conditioner to distribute protection and performance to extra

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e si den tial sy stems.com

ILLUSTRATION BY HAPPY_VECTOR/GETTY IMAGES

outlets in the rack.

For clean cabling, four new Panamax IEC Cables Accessories provide power to monitors, TVs, sound systems, and appliances that have the IEC-60320-C14 inlet. The 10-foot 15-IEC10, 6-foot 15-IEC6, 3-foot 15-IEC3, and 1-foot 15-IEC1 are designed for connected equipment requiring power up to 15 amps.

Nortek has remote power management covered with BlueBOLT, which got a new mobile version of the company’s real-time, cloud-based power control and monitoring platform late last year. The BlueBOLT 2.0 IP Power Management Platform — now with the BlueBOLT Mobile app — pairs with Panamax and Furman power conditioners. BlueBOLT Mobile minimizes service calls with remote reboots of problem devices; maximizes network health with scheduled power cycles; and self-heals network devices to save money and time — managed from anywhere with an Internet connection.

BlueBOLT Mobile’s Watchlist feature enables tagging of high-priority locations and devices — those that deserve special attention. Combined with location and device filtering, this allows integrators to quickly identify potential issues before the customer even knows there’s an issue.

Torus AVR will keep the output constant within the range of 115 volts to 125 volts, with an input voltage of 90 volts to 130 volts. Between 85 volts to 90 volts, and between 130 volts and 135 volts, the regulation will be reduced.

Balanced Input is available on many Torus Power models, providing an additional stage of noise cancellation. sonnen ecoLinx  Sonnen, Inc., and PanTech Design have partnered for the sonnen ecoLinx intelligent energy management system. PanTech Design’s Adapt Energy Panel is an industrial-grade hardware solution that provides direct circuit

Torus Power AVR  The Torus Power AVR models add Automatic Voltage Regulation to the standard Torus Power features, enhancing protection against voltage sags, brownouts, and surges. They also include Ethernet connectivity and an RS-232 interface for basic home monitoring applications.

Each model is IP addressable with a built-in web browser interface, and feature automatic email notification on fault condition. The RS232 control allows them to be compatible with Crestron and other control systems, and they offer cloud-based monitoring and control through ihiji, and other systems. The front panel display shows voltage conditions (input / output voltage), current draw, and IP address.

breaker control that, when combined with the ecoLinx duo, provides greater load management capabilities to power down loads during peak demand times and ahead of a power outage, which enables the ecoLinx backup reserve to charge faster.

The ecosystem also features native integration with Curb energy monitoring. Curb brings realtime data on energy use at an individual circuit level directly in the Adapt Energy app. Historical detail can also be accessed in the Curb app.

Homeowners will be able to leverage this rich data to make informed decisions about energy consumption and effective use of stored backup power during power outages. n

CEDIA Whitepaper: Quality of Power While it is not about power management, CEDIA recently released a white paper called “Quality of Power” that explores the conditions and causes of electrical problems, and the solutions to deliver a better quality of power.

“There is no denying that technology is more a part of our daily lives than it has ever been before.

The digital native generation does not know a world without the internet. With this demand for access to technology comes another, sometimes overlooked need — the need for power that is free from transients, interruptions, and noise,” says Walt Zerbe, senior director of technology and standards.

“CEDIA’s white paper explores why it is important to have quality power and how integrators can deliver better quality power to their clients.”

The white paper helps break down the complex topics of electrical noise and p ower anomalies and what can be done to mitigate their effects.

Visit www.cedia.net for details.

residen tial sy stems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

29

A SUPPLEMENT TO

MAGAZINE

THE INTEGRATION GUIDE TO

4K VIDEO

NETWORKS

A DealerShop 4K video installation.

MORE OPPORTUNITIES WITH 4K Now that consumers are aware of 4K and expect it in their homes, how are you implementing it across the network?

By Karen Mitchell

Jared Ross, CTO, AHT Global

[30]

As 4K hardware and content become more ubiquitous, integrators encounter more opportunities to provide customers with excellent entertainment experiences, says Jared Ross, CTO, AHT Global.

“The 4K Apple TV and other streaming boxes are the game-changers that have made 4K content accessible to consumers,” he explains. “At the dawn of 4K hardware technology there was a shortage of content to enjoy on these amazing displays. Some hardware manufacturers even

went as far as developing proprietary boxes and communication protocols in order to take full advantage of the pixels that they were able to pack into the displays. I remember hearing, ‘What content is that?’ on tradeshow floors as more and more manufacturers exhibited their 4K displays. The hardware was there, but there was a content shortage leaving integrators and consumers hungry for more.”

4K streaming boxes like the Apple TV allow consumers to immerse themselves in the world of 4K without waiting for content providers to upgrade their infrastructure, and Crestron hardware allows integrators to seamlessly transport and deliver this content in any scenario, he adds.

4K VIDEO NETWORKS customers back. “The Apple TV and other services are now easy to distribute through the home with J+P 4K extenders without the need to have a dedicated streamer in each TV. 4K is now available through the whole house at affordable costs.”

Although, Mizrahi explains, cost is less important to his customers when investing in new homes as they look for top technology.

“They understand that technology is moving very quickly,” he says, “but there also are products that help lower overall costs, such as J+P 4K vídeo extenders, which allow us to concentrate all sources in a central rack without having to do many local installations in every TV.”

Apple TV introduced many consumers to the high-impact imagery of 4K video.

More streaming content services and stores, in addition to streaming channel events, UltraHD disc sales, and the wider availability of 4K TVs are heading the charge full of 4K content, notes Cody Crossland, national accounts manager, BlackWire Designs and Technology.

“We are seeing Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon FireTV devices as the top choices for streaming [4K content].”

Cody Crossland, Aside from bandwidth caps, the cost for 4K National Accounts has gone down substantially, he notes. “I’m Manager, BlackWire Designs and hopeful for a more comparable street price on Technology 4K UHD disc content that’s in-line with HD,” he says. “The biggest challenge is in ensuring that you have a high-quality 4K distribution system, 4K content, and players, along with ensuring that the customer is aware of any bandwidth data caps they may hit when streaming. Netflix advises 25 MB just for one stream, so keep in mind that that is in addition to any other internet traffic going on at the same time.”

There are Increased opportunities with greater acceptance of 4K, agrees Albert Mizrahi, CEO, DealerShop. “We’re seeing a much higher rate than when HD first became available,” he says. “This is due to the growing level of 4K content. Products such as Just Add Power (J+P) give us a great range of video solutions we can provide to our clients.”

The impact of 4K Apple TV and other offerings is a positive one, creating increased techAlbert Mizrahi, CEO, nology awareness, he notes, although more DealerShop 4K content is needed, the only factor holding

[32]

4K: DO YOUR CLIENTS GET IT? Many consumers really do understand the impact and promise of 4K and they are eager to upgrade or add new hardware to take full advantage of the ultra high definition content available to them, Ross says. “Even consumers who wouldn’t describe themselves as tech-savvy are recognizing the terms 4K and UHD when talking about displays and sources.

“When educating clients about 4K technology, one of the most important things to understand is that Crestron is the only manufacturer that can support 4K HDR 4:4:4 over a Gigabit network regardless of how many sources or displays are involved,” he continues.

“Streaming boxes will get the 4K content into the client’s home, but Crestron’s NVX hardware delivers the 4K content where the user needs it, at the display regardless of the equipment location.”

The rack from the previously pictured DealerShop Even though Crestron’s installation. DealerShop relies on Just Add Power’s 4K extenders. infrastructure technology allows the transport of 4K content anywhere and everywhere that it’s needed, there are still challenges that integrators must consider when selling, designing, and implementing distributed video systems.

“It’s critical that integrators understand that in order to utilize an

4K VIDEO NETWORKS the best at 4K content transport and Apple TV at full 4K HDR resolution, all delivery. Crestron’s Pixel Perfect NVX displays that will receive the signal must technology helps put the Advanced in be capable of handling 4K HDR,” Ross Advanced Home Theater Global.” says. “Even utilizing nearly all scalers on And before designing/installing a 4K the market today does not allow a 4K system, it’s essential to verify that all TVs HDR signal to be delivered to a display in the project are capable of 4K, and that’s not up to par. Integrators often get which inputs should be used, Crossland tripped up on this detail when trying to cautions. “If they are not, distribution play an Apple TV signal on a touchscreen AHT Global is a firm believer in Crestron’s Pixel Perfect platforms like Just Add Power are vital or a smaller ancillary display. It’s imporNVX technology. in providing the client with the best postant to consider the system in its entirety sible experience. The built-in video scalers allow 4K to be distribin order to deliver a smooth user experience. uted where needed while ensuring older or smaller non-4K capable “When it comes to 4K, we are lucky to have a manufacturer like TVs continue to work.” n Crestron in the industry,” he says. “They were the first and remain

“The biggest challenge is in ensuring that you have a high-quality 4K distribution system, 4K content, and players, along with ensuring that the customer is aware of any bandwidth data caps they may hit when streaming.” — Cody Crossland, BlackWire Designs and Technology

[33]

ProductReview

Intellithings

IntelliThings.net

RoomMe Occupancy Automation Sensors

BY JOHN SCIACCA

We throw the term “automation” around a lot, but sometimes it is easy to forget that the first part of that word — you know, the “auto” — implies things happening without any user interaction. Sure, we program automation events for our customers, like “every morning, open the blinds,” or “every night turn on the exterior lights,” that don’t require them to do anything, but usually much of our programming involves some customer interaction such as pressing a keypad button, setting the security system, or opening a door.

And, sure, we can combine these events with layers of if/then programming — if it’s this time of day, or this day of week, or this temperature outside, or the TV is on — but ultimately our programming isn’t very personalized. The keypad doesn’t know who is pressing the button or opening the door, it just fires off the same pre-programmed macro. What if you could truly personalize a system so that it did what each person wanted in each room?

That’s the goal of the new RoomMe sensors by Intellithings, which look to leverage the power of technology most of your customers already own and carry with them to kick off personalized, room-level automation for true “Occupancy Automation.” Unlike a motion detector that can false on a pet or timeout if someone is still, and which can’t tell who is in the room, just that someone is, RoomMe uses the unique Bluetooth signature of a device to identify each person.

34 R E S I D E N T I A L

After unboxing the first sensor, my first thought was, “Hmm, this is bit bigger than I thought it would be.” The sensors look a lot like a typical smoke detector, just slightly bigger.

Part of the larger size is due to being powered by two D-cell batteries. However, the doubleDs mean that it offers longer battery life — an estimated 3-years — which is always a good thing. Ultimately, once they are installed, you likely won’t notice them. However, we all have those clients that are really sensitive to more “things” on the walls and ceiling, and that might be a concern for them. (Intellithings did share they are working on a new “pro version” of its sensor that will have a recessed form factor and power via 12-volt.)

The sensors install flat on the ceiling a specified distance from the room’s entry door determined by the ceiling height. (For example, an 8-foot ceiling would have the sensor 4.3 feet into the room, where an 11-foot ceiling would be at 6.8 feet.) The sensor’s removable bracket attaches to the ceiling with two small screws, with the sensor sliding and locking into the bracket, allowing for easy battery changes when the time comes.

While two sensors are the minimum for the system to work at all, you’ll get far more use out of the system the more sensors you install.

Intellithings sent me four sensors for this review, but I could honestly use at least three more in my 2200-square-foot home to cover all of the areas where I’d want “magic” to happen. Really, any rooms/areas that have automation capability — lights, fans, music, etc. — could use a sensor.

Fortunately, the sensors are affordably priced

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e si den tial systems.com

Kudos Simple setup and “Charm” creation; opens up a new level of personalized automation

Concerns Fairly large form factor will concern some; conundrum of automation event programming that happens every time

Product Specs 4 Ceiling-mounted room entry sensor 4 Bluetooth 4 Low Energy radio 4 Powers via two D-cell batteries (user replaceable) with estimated 3-year lifespan 4 Native support of popular devices such as Philips Hue, Ecobee, Bose, Sonos, HomeKit, Harmony, Wink, and others 4 Integrates with Control4, URC, RTI, and ELAN via Chowmain driver 4 Dimensions: 6.1-inches diameter x 1.77-inches high

at $69 for one and $236 for four. The system supports up to 32 rooms and 16 users.

After sensor installation, the RoomMe app is installed on any devices that will be used to trigger automation events. RoomMe supports both iPhone and Android, and at CES the company launched support for Samsung smartwatches running Tizen OS v4.0. (They expect to increase wearable support by adding Apple Watch and FitBit in the future.)

Once the app is installed, it walks you through a process of setting up and calibrating the room sensors with each device. Here each sensor learns the unique BT signature of each device, with the antenna array learning where to track people entering a room. Post setup you can adjust the sensitivity of each sensor. The system utilizes low-energy Bluetooth, which is said to have a negligible effect on device power consumption, and which doesn’t affect the ability to pair with other devices. In order for the system to work, Bluetooth does need to be left on and the RoomMe app needs to be running in the background of each device.

Those with privacy concerns will appreciate that Intellithings doesn’t have a “cloud” that is tracking you; all of the configuration is stored on the local sensors themselves, so no information is sent out of the home. Any time a configuration is changed in the app — new room, new user, new device, new automation, etc. — the “admin” will need to walkaround and update each of the sensors.

The system supports quite a few DIY automation products out of the box, including Philips Hue and LIFX lights, Ecobee and Sensibo thermostats, Bose and Sonos speakers, HomeKit, Wink, and Harmony, with support for SmartThings coming. The company also just released (as in about two hours ago as I write this) a new update that enables Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri voice integration, allowing you to query the system to find where people are in the home or who is home.

RoomMe calls its automation “charms” (as in “casting a charm”) and the app allows quickly and easily setting room entry or exit events with

36 R E S I D E N T I A L

any of these supported devices.

Charm routines can happen at any time; only during the day, only at night, during specific times (i.e., between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM), on specific dates only (a birthday or anniversary), or during a specific season.

To avoid conflicts, RoomMe uses layers to define who is “in control” of a room based on room master, parent, and child.

So if a child is in a room and a parent walks in, the parent’s programming automatically takes control. But if a parent is already in a room, another parent entering won’t affect what is happening. However, the room master always takes priority, say a child in their own room, or a parent’s office.

When a person leaves a room, the next person with highest priority takes control based on who entered first, and his or her “charms” are cast.

This continues until no one remains in the room, and then the room’s “exit charm” is cast.

Unfortunately, most of our projects probably won’t have many of these supported devices on them. (I was fortunate to have two Sonos Move speakers left over from a recent review, otherwise I wouldn’t have had any.) The good news is RoomMe supports integration with Control4, Crestron, ELAN, RTI, and URC via a thirdparty Chowmain driver. Chowmain gave me a driver license for this review, and this driver is mandatory on any CI project.

Once added to my Control4 project, C4 controller address, I had access to a whole slate of information from RoomMe: Who entered a room, who was in control of a room, who exited a room, who was the last person in the room? With this information, you can literally kick off any automation event that you want based on that information. And this combined with if/then, if/and, or time-of-day programming allowed me to create whatever sorts of programming logic I could think of.

I have quite a few “smart” things in my

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e si den tial systems.com

house — shades, lights, thermostats, fans, audio, door locks, etc. — but the conundrum I struggled with when setting up my RoomMe programming was, “What events do I want to happen every time someone enters a room?”

I mean, I like music, but having my bedroom speakers start playing music every time I walked into the room — sometimes just for a second to grab something — got old...fast. In the end, I settled on just having lights come on/off when you enter/exit the room, adjusting levels based on time of day, or whether or not my video projector was on, and that worked really well.

Once the programming was defined, operation was seamless and highly reliable, with people just walking into a room and things happening. I didn’t tell my wife about it, but when she walked into our room for the first time and the lights turned on, she said, “Wow, the lights just turned on. That’s cool.” As a “power Nazi,” I love that the lights also now turn off when the last person leaves a room.

One issue we faced in our home was that the rest of my family doesn’t always carry their phones around with them. For example, my wife often leaves her phone on the living room couch, so RoomMe thinks she’s in the living room when she’s often elsewhere, and this would cause lights to turn off in her room when I walked out of it.

Intellithings freely admits RoomMe is not a solution for everybody, saying it isn’t good for families with young children or people that don’t carry their phones with them. (This is why I think the wearables category will be so helpful for them.) But for very connected homes whose family members carry phones with them everywhere, RoomMe opens up a new layer of truly personalized automation that is both unique and surprisingly affordable. n

 Vanco Beale Basics Vanco International LLC has introduced Beale Basics, a new custom installation speaker series, to its Beale Street Audio brand. Vanco states that the new line expands Beale’s loudspeaker collection with costconscious solutions that provide the same level of quality and installation flexibility Beale Street Audio is known for. The Beale Basics line consists of five in-ceiling speaker models, including the IC6-BSC (2way design with 6.5-inch woofer) and IC8-BSC (2-way design with 8.5-inch woofer) designed for residential installations. The IC6V-BSC and IC8V-BSC offer the same components as their residential counterparts, but in 70-volt for commercial applications. The Beale Basics line also includes the IC6DT-BSC, featuring dual-tweeters and a 6.5-inch woofer for environments where installing a single speaker is more ideal. Each model features a pivoting titanium dome tweeter, Kevlar woofer, butyl rubber surround for longevity and tight and deep bass, and a frameless design that disappears into the ceiling. Beale Basics speakers install with ease using Beale’s “dog” mounting system and magnetic grilles, and feature an environment equalizer that allows integrators to tailor the sound (by ±3dB) to the specific room or listener’s preference.

Rounding out the Beale Basics line is the WP6V-BSC on-wall/pendant speaker, featuring a 6.5-inch woofer encased in a black pendant speaker enclosure that is weather resistant, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor environments.

Jetbuilt Funnel Platform  Jetbuilt has announced Funnel, the new lead tracking platform that helps turn leads into opportunities, into revenue. Listening to the struggle users faced with disorganized and elusive leadhandling, Jetbuilt asked for more details about an ideal solution.

The result? An interface that provides a well-organized and clearly defined lead-tracking and workflow system.

In essence, Funnel follows a lead from the moment it enters the top of the funnel and flows through the various stages to become a contracted project. Emails to and from leads are synced to Jetbuilt and archived within the Funnel platform, where developing conversations can be viewed, monitored, and replied to by all sales reps and management. Tasks for appropriate action are assigned and scheduled to ensure valuable leads are not lost or forgotten.

URC Total Control Adds Two-Way Integration of August Smart Locks 

 AudioControl CM Series 70-Volt Amplifiers with Dante AudioControl has announced the introduction of three CM Series 70-volt amplifiers featuring Dante digital audio networking capability. Dante is an uncompressed, multi-channel digital media networking technology that moves data over a standard IP network using readily available CAT5e, CAT6, or fiber optic cable with near-zero latency and synchronization. There are over 1600 Danteenabled products available, providing integrators with a broad range of choices when assembling a multi-zone entertainment system.

AudioControl’s CM Series 70-volt amplifiers with Dante connectivity are available in three versions — 4-channel, 3-channel, and 2-channel. Each amplifier delivers 750 watts per channel in 70/100-volt mode, 500 watts per channel at 8 ohms (stereo or mono output), and 750 watts per channel at 2 or 4 ohms and 1500 watts bridged into either a 70/100v and 8- or 4-ohm load. Each amplifier offers eight analog inputs (four stereo) — plus four digital stereo inputs — digital coax and optical. The four outputs can be individually controlled or be controlled as two stereo pairs.

URC has launched a two-way IP module for integration of its Total Control 2.0 system with August Smart Lock and Smart Lock Pro door locks.

The module, available end of February to authorized URC installers via URC’s dealer portal, allows end users using any URC Total Control touch screen or the Total Control smartphone application to control and view status of compatible August Smart Locks door lock models via the URC Total Control System.

This two-way module allows homeowners using a URC Total Control touch screen or the URC smartphone app the ability to lock, unlock, and view the status of any and all doors in their home that have an August Smart lock or August Smart Lock Pro installed from any URC Total Control interface.

Authorized URC commercial integrators will be able to download the two-way IP module from URC’s dealer portal and add it into their projects when the module is available end of February.

SoundTube Dante-Enabled Soundbar  SoundTube’s Dante ecosystem features the new Dante-enabled Soundbar, which is an ultra-thin two-way digital end-point solution in a soundbar configuration. Featuring a built-in amplifier and DSP, the soundbar measures 1.5 inches thick where the bar meets the TV. It incorporates a right and left speaker with four 3-inch ultra-long throw polypropylene woofers with NBR surrounds, four bass radiators and two 0.75-inch synthetic soft dome tweeters.

38 R E S I D E N T I A L

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e si den tial systems.com

NewProducts

 ELAN New Lineup of Surveillance Products ELAN has announced a full range of new surveillance cameras, an NVR, and an assortment of compatible accessories. The new assortment features built-in advanced IntelliVision analytics for more precise person and vehicle classification plus advanced object detection, which provides personalized and informative alerts to the end-user. Additionally, customers will enjoy newfound security through a single, personalized system, and advanced privacy features thanks to deep software integration. The lineup includes an 8-channel NVR that can be mounted in a structured wiring can or a rack shelf. Along with the new cameras, the system integrates quickly and completely as part of a whole-house or property ELAN intelligent system. The new array includes six outdoor IP cameras, one 8-channel NVR, and accessories.

Sonus Faber Gravis III Subwoofer  Sonus faber has announced the global launch of the Gravis III subwoofer. The Gravis III is the intermediate model in the Gravis collection, completing the Olympica Nova line introduced in September of 2019. Aesthetically, Gravis III follows the style of the previous products, with a black leather covering and discreet Piano black wooden finish. However, the subwoofer’s top finishes of Wengè and Walnut matte create the connection to the newer Olympica Nova collection.

The removable fabric grille with metal pins covers a 10-inch (250mm) ultra-long throw driver that includes a Trilaminated sandwich cone diaphragm with a layer of honeycomb in between, managing the driver’s excursion and resistance flexing. According to Sonus faber, the stiffness of the cone merged with its extreme lightness allows the subwoofer to produce the tightest and most accurate bass reproduction possible. The Class AB amplifier can produce 600 watts into an 8-ohm load. A wide frequency range is provided through the included digital signal processor that allows adjustments in order to optimize dynamic impact.

OSD Audio NERO VOX In-wall Amplifier and Docking System  OSD Audio has announced the NERO VOX, a 40-watt in-wall amplifier designed to enhance the streaming audio experience from the Echo Dot Gen 3/4 Bluetooth smart speaker. An architecturally discreet in-wall amplifier, the NERO VOX installs flush mount into drywall and includes a docking station that securely holds the Echo Dot. When connected to in-ceiling, in-wall, or bookshelf speakers, users can enjoy voice-control or manual access to their music libraries, Amazon Music, and services such as Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and TuneIn. The NERO VOX turns the Echo Dot 3/4 into an in-wall volume control keypad for voice controlled audio in a single room or multiple rooms. The Echo Dot fits securely inside the docking station’s enclosure, and the amp is hidden with a paintable trim cover that blends into any type of décor. The NERO VOX is 4- and 8-ohm switchable, so users can connect a single 4-ohm or 8-ohm speaker pair or connect two pairs of 8-ohm speakers. The power wall plate fits a standard J box and is extendable up to 300 feet for installation flexibility, and the NERO VOX includes dual RCA inputs to add a subwoofer.

Origin Acoustics Introduces Performance Subwoofers Collection  Origin Acoustics has announced its new Performance Subwoofers with the release of three new models of floorstanding powered subwoofers. The new collection features coated paper woofers, high-powered digital amplifiers, and a lightly textured and brushed finish. According to Origin, these new subwoofers deliver more volume, lower frequencies, an attractive aesthetic, and it all sits in a smaller cabinet. This collection benefits from an additional down-firing passive radiator, which provides extended bass frequencies and volume with no extra power consumption. Available in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch configurations, these models will be available in March of 2020.

 Screen Innovations Fontus Screen Innovations (SI) has introduced a new “problem solving” product that enables new low-voltage motorized screens to be powered and controlled via any type of traditional two-conductor wiring. SI’s Fontus allows integrators to utilize wire that may already exist inside a building or home to connect screens to a modern control system. With Fontus, an integrator can make a two-conductor wire perform 485 communication as if it were an eight-conductor wire. As long as there is a two-conductor wire available near the screen location, Fontus, a dongle that plugs into SI’s new Janus power and control hub, converts low-voltage communications signals and power from a five-conductor system for distribution over two-conductor wire. n residen tial sy stems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

39

RE SI

020 •2

IAL SYSTEMS NT DE

(continued from page 27 )

of online, blended, and in-person courses to achieve a total learning solution that is reinforced over the course of a professional’s relationship with Lutron. In addition, each year Lutron hosts a National Residential Opportunities tour to showcase new products and technologies to our professionals as well as highlight updates to programs and services.

As part of Lutron’s continuous training improvement goals, this year we completely redesigned the Shade Essential training program to include rich multimedia content in a highly interactive format. The video content adds a personal touch to the training and features actual devices in the online instruction.

Learn more: www.Lutron.com

practices, and tech support provide significant value-adds for integrators when selecting a networking solution. To protect dealer margins, Luxul products are not available online; they are only sold through authorized distributors.

Learn more: www.legrandav.com

Warranty/Return Policy/Tech Support PLATINUM WINNER Just Add Power Just Add Power (J+P) offers a five-year warranty for all HDMI over IP transmitters and receivers in the company’s 2GΩ/3G and 3G families. The warranty covers parts and replacements for any 2GΩ/3G and 3G solution sold on or after March 1, 2019.

The 3G platform started shipping in September 2015. After analyzing its performance and durability in the field over the last four years, J+P was pleased to see practically zero failures after a system had been properly installed and running for an extended period. Given this real-world result, the company decided it made sense to increase its warranty to five years. While installers will almost certainly have no occasion to take advantage of the extended warranty, it provides them and their customers with peace of mind for years to come knowing they are covered in the unlikely event of a component failure.

Learn more: www.justaddpower.com

SILVER WINNER Vanco International Vanco International is committed to being a helpful resource for the AV dealer and distributor communities in the home theater, premium audio, and commercial installation communities.

In order to fulfill this commitment, the Vanco team offers stellar technical support via phone, a live chat feature on their website, and 24/7 email support.

A variety of training resources can be found on the Vanco website. These resources include training videos that breakdown the features of popular product features such as HDMI Distribution, Vanco’s patented Sonic Vortex technology, HDBaseT, etc. The training videos are led by Vanco’s highly experienced director of training and product knowledge. Videos feature products across Vanco’s unique brands, including Evolution, PulseAudio, and Beale Street Audio. Dealers and distributors can easily access information about products across all of Vanco’s brands by exploring the detailed product descriptions and product manuals that are available for download right off of the Vanco International website.

After over 60 years in the AV industry, Vanco continues to engineer, manufacture, and sell the top-tier audio/video products and electronic accessories that are 100 percent QC tested in Vanco International’s U.S. headquarters. The Vanco team works directly with dealers and distributors to provide flexible warranty and return policies, including a lifetime warranty on all Vanco cables.

Learn more: www.vanco1.com

GOLD WINNER Legrand | AV Residential - Luxul Luxul’s solutions are backed by a three-year limited warranty, which is among the best in the industry, in addition to free lifetime tech support. An invaluable resource for issues in the field, Luxul’s techs are available via chat, email, and phone to assist with configuration and troubleshooting. Luxul values integrators’ time and that’s why tech support managers try to keep their hold time to under two minutes.

The company’s warranty policy, customer service

Web Portal/Online Tools PLATINUM WINNER Crestron Electronics, Inc. Crestron.com The new and improved Crestron.com allows dealers to create multiple project lists, save them in their personal library, and revisit them later.

This new feature helps streamline the proposal process by allowing dealers to share their lists directly with our sales team and prepare official proposals from one location. Our website also features a support center available 24/7, that houses all of the documents associated with

40 R E S I D E N T I A L

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e s iden tial systems.com

our products, contact information, and more.

At Crestron.com, users can access brochures, technical resources, marketing resources, and guides and manuals.

Learn more: www.crestron.com GOLD WINNER Legrand | AV Legrand | AV Residential offers a variety of tools across its residential brands designed to save integrators time and help them deliver the most optimal design and solution to their customers.

Among the most widely use are: Chief/SANUS — Mountfinder Da-Lite — Screen Designer Middle Atlantic — Online Configurator Design Tool SANUS — HeightFinder MountFinder allows integrators to select the most compatible Chief and SANUS brand TV or projector mount for the job. Dealers simply type in the manufacturer and model number or select from a drop-down menu. An exclusive database of 30,000+ TVs ensures accurate results every time.

Da-Lite Screen Designer helps customize DaLite projection screens for every installation, step-by-step. Screen Designer also includes a dimension converter and aspect and foot lambert calculators to ensure a precise result.

The Middle Atlantic Online Design Configurator allows integrators to quickly and efficiently select the right products and accessories for any system. Built-in intelligence ensures that only the components that will fit can be selected and makes smart recommendations for ensuring reliable systems.

The SANUS HeightFinder allows integrators and end users to determine where to place the TV mount and where to drill holes for installation.

The tool generates the perfect mount placement based off of the TV model, brand, size, TV model number, the SANUS mount, and mounting pattern.

Furthermore, The Legrand Residential AV Sales App places marketing and sales from all nine residential AV brands in one convenient spot. Dealers get quick access to product features, technical specifications, installation instructions, trainings, selection guide brochures, catalogs, and more. Available on iPhone or iPad, dealers can easily search and share a single file or group of files via email, and can present from the app by streaming a live feed onto anyone’s desktop or tablet.

Learn more: www.legrandav.com n

Residential Systems Vol. 21 No. 3

March 2020

residentialsystems.com FOLLOW US twitter.com/resisys facebook/resisys CONTENT VP/Content Creation Anthony Savona anthony.savona@futurenet.com Contributors: Llanor Alleyne, Dennis Burger, Sam Cavitt, Henry Clifford, Dave Donald, Tim Fitzpatrick, Ted Green, Jason Griffing, Anthony Grimani, Karen Mitchell, Todd Anthony Puma, John Sciacca, Heather Sidorowicz, Gordon van Zuiden Production Manager Fred Vega Managing Design Director Nicole Cobban Design Director Walter Makarucha, Jr. ADVERTISING SALES VP/Market Expert, AV/Consumer Electronics & Pro Audio Adam Goldstein, adam.goldstein@futurenet.com, 212-378-0465 SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to residentialsystems.com and click on About Us, email futureplc@computerfulfillment.com, call 888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 1067, Lowell, MA 01853.

LICENSING/REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS Residential Systems is available for licensing.

Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities.

Head of Print Licensing: Rachel Shaw, licensing@futurenet.com MANAGEMENT Senior Vice President, Content Chris Convey Group Publisher Carmel King Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Head of Design Rodney Dive FUTURE US, INC. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036

BusinessInsights (continued from page 14 )

All’s Not Fair in Love (at Work)

both of these employees are top performers?

Again, this can be problematic if the employer doesn’t want to let them go. “It can inconvenience you as well because more often than not, when I get phone calls about this from clients, it’s a really valuable employee — it just happens that way — like a director of marketing or a director of sales [who has a relationship with] a subordinate employee.” She adds that in some cases, employers in this situation have voiced their desire to retain the top performer, but fire the subordinate. “And I’m like, ‘That’s the problem — you can’t do that. You can do anything you want, but then you’re going to be calling me six months later when you get a lawsuit.’”

While implementing a solid policy is a good place to start, Peters urges companies to hold employee training sessions once every year or two that cover this subject. (Peters herself conducts these sessions for clients, and says that many employment law attorneys do.)

“Sit down and remind them the importance of having a cohesive work environment with one another, and the types of behaviors that can jeopardize that,” she says. “Remind people of the risky behavior that can lead to not just liability for the company, but also just an uncomfortable working environment for everyone. Training for employees gets through a little bit more than just having something in your handbook that you generally only give employees at the outset of their employment when they’re hired, and then they never look at it again.” n Carolyn Heinze is a freelance writer/editor.

One of the biggest fears for employers dealing with a romance in their workplace is that the relationship will end badly, and a sexual harassment lawsuit, or claims of a hostile work environment, will result — especially if the relationship involved a manager and a subordinate. Brett Trembly, managing partner at Trembly Law Firm, urges companies to protect themselves with a mandatory disclosure policy and a bit of monitoring.

“If somebody’s unhappy and they either quit or they’re fired, they’re going to look for any claim, and one of them could be, ‘I was forced into this relationship because this person was in management, and I thought I would lose my job,’” he says. “That’s why it’s super-important for the managementlevel person to report the relationship, and also for the employer to keep an eye out for those things and to make sure that there’s no preferential treatment or unfavorable treatment given to anybody who is not in a management position. That’s a hard thing to document, and normally you have to prove your case through testimony. But it would come onto the employer’s radar if there are complaints made, or emails sent, or the disclosure of the relationship itself. Any time there’s a paper trail, it actually gives the employer a better opportunity to make sure that they’re doing the right thing and protecting themselves.” —C.H.

All contents ©2020 Future US, Inc. or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.

If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions.

Please Recycle. We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. The manufacturing paper mill and printer hold full FSC and PEFC certification and accreditation.

AdIndex COMPANY NAME

PAGE

AVIXA Arlington Industries

TELEPHONE #

5 800.659.7469 13, 19, 31

800.233.4717

Crestron

2

888.273.7876

DISH Networks

44

303.723.1000

Platinum Tools

7

805.384.2777

Stampede Global

5

800.398.5652

residen tial sy stems.com | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | R E S I D E N T I A L S Y S T E M S

41

GoingForward

Opportunity Knocks at KBIS. Will You Answer?

KBIS 2020 was a banner year for technology in the kitchen and bath.

B Y K AT Y E M C G R E G O R B E N N E T T

The kitchen and bath are two of the most highly designed spaces in today’s home. These two rooms in particular scream out for the need for personalization, which is beginning to drive technology in the home as kitchen and bath manufacturers recognize the trend and begin to refine their high-tech offerings to be more appealing to designers.

Likewise, as designers begin to see these technology options explode — much as they did at this year’s KBIS in Las Vegas — they are starting to recognize the need for partnering with an integrator.

“Going into KBIS, I was focused on smart home technology and wellness,” says Rose Dostal of RMD Designs. “There are so many technology options, and I’m now aware how overwhelming it is to try to incorporate all of these. The importance of integrators became clear as I was roaming around the show. I know now I need an integrator in the planning phase.”

Much of the tech at KBIS was driven by the trend toward personalization. “We see updates every couple of years to appliances, but this year it is about the individuality of the space,” says Molly Switzer of Molly N Switzer Designs. “We are seeing more color choices.

There are culinary options in appliances, like sous-vide or the Plum automated wine dispenser, for those who want to have a better culinary experience at home. The whole idea is that people want to personalize through technology and color.”

While some of this technology is not necessarily new, such as smart faucets, the technology has become more appealing to designers.

“Before, we didn’t specify products because they had issues with the way they were wired or functionality,” adds Switzer. “Manufacturers are now thinking outside the box to provide a better technology experience for us and our clients. These are products we now want to specify.”

Gordon van Zuiden of integration firm cyberManor has attended KBIS for the last two years and says the differences between last year and this year are notable: “2019 was an intro year, in which some manufacturers were showcasing smart home technology for the first time,” he says. “2020 KBIS showed that they are clearly ready to start implementing it.”

So now that the design community is ready, where does the integrator come in and what is the opportunity, exactly? Take the master bath space as a case study. You’re specifying music in the form of in-ceiling speakers, automated shades for privacy, a bathroom mirror screen where you can access email or watch the news, a shower that turns to the perfect temperature automatically, in-floor and towel-rack heating, circadian lighting, a responsive toilet, and more. With all this

42 R E S I D E N T I A L

S Y S T E M S | M A R C H 2 0 2 0 | r e si den tial sy stems.com

The Samsung booth at KBIS 2020.

technology, an integrator needs to be involved from the get-go, working closely with the designer and trades such as plumbing and tiling and to provide a control layer on top of it all. “We take the technology and integrate it with voice control from Josh.ai and a wellness layer on top from Delos. As integrators, we have to showcase all that’s possible so that clients don’t ask, ‘Why didn’t you tell me I could do this?’” notes van Zuiden.

In general, there is a bit of a misconception about the suggestion that integrators should become plumbers by getting into the kitchen and bath space, but, just like working with other trades in other parts of the home, integrators are finding that everyone stays in their own lane, making for amazing connectivity that KMB and many of our clients have become passionate about. Education is a huge part of that.

“We went to the show to see how we can partner with kitchen and bath manufacturers from the custom AV space, because they don’t know anything about us yet,” says van Zuiden. “And while they will still sell through conventional channels like white goods, those channels will need to be talking to the integration community. We are working with Kohler and Bosch and Thermador to outfit showrooms, because a lot of education is still needed to let people know what these products are and how to physically install it all.”

According to Jesse Silva at The ProView Audio Video Experience integration firm, the biggest takeaway he got from KBIS is that there is tech there and people are excited to bring it into their homes and appliances. Of course, security concerns are also top of mind for kitchen and bath designers, as well as their clients, and this is also an opportunity for integrators to be part of the conversation when connecting kitchens and baths.

“We need to encourage the design community to lean on us for the knowledge we have in the technology space,” says Silva. “It will relieve some of that confusion, stress, and worry. We have to protect our clients’ security, as well. And we know how to do that.” n Katye McGregor Bennett is chief strategist and CEO of KMB Communications and an avid podcaster. Podcasts include Connecting Tech + Design and AV Trade Talk podcasts. For more about KBIS from Katye, listen to the post-show podcast wrap-up here: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-tw67t-d29d87.

9000