Steve Williams, sales and marketing director at Kenrick, says now is the time to get smarter.
We’ve seen a surge in smart home technology over recent years, with more homeowners embracing the benefits of a ‘connected home’ than ever before. According to research by Mordor Intelligence, the global smart homes market was valued at $64.60 billion in 2019 and is predicted to reach $246.42 billion by 2025. With annual growth of 25% forecasted between 2020 and 2025, the need for smart home technology has never been greater.
Take up of smart home products continues to rise in the UK and we are now the fastest-growing and second largest market in Europe for sales of smart technology, says research from GfK Global. Demand has been driven by wider internet usage (which incidentally went through the roof since Covid-19), greater access to smart devices and rising disposable income.
The current pandemic has also led to a growing concern about our safety and security, with more of us willing to invest in technology to protect our homes and loved ones. There are a number of hardware suppliers providing product solutions for the smart home, however the key to achieving a safe and secure home is to ensure that all products are compatible. A system that isn’t cross-compatible will always have a limited reach.
Easy and integrated
Some existing smart locks have also led to the belief that they are complicated to fit or cannot be easily retro-fitted and we’re busting that myth with our BeeSecure app-based smart home security solution. Launched in the UK during the lockdown, this fully integrated system enables homeowners to monitor their home from anywhere with their smartphone – and it can be retrospectively fitted.
At the heart of the system is the BeeHub – a compact smart home centre device, which is based on both Zigbee and Wi-Fi protocols. It works by connecting all the Zigbee devices to the network and then uses home Wi-Fi to connect the smartphone to the network and cloud. When any device on the network is triggered, a notification is sent to the user’s smartphone via the BeeSecure App.
Perhaps more than ever, we need to harness technology to make our lives easier, calmer and safer. With BeeSecure, homeowners can tailor make their own ‘connected home’ by handpicking which integrated devices they want to install. These are then simply connected to the BeeHub. Each BeeHub can connect with up to 16 BeeSecure smart devices, with the option to extend to 32 devices with the BeeRepeater.
Hidden benefits
One of the most popular devices is the BeeLock passcode enabled electronic smart lock. This versatile lock allows the user to control exactly who can access their property. It can accommodate up to 200 users, so it’s ideal for elderly, disabled or self-isolating people who may have family members and carers visiting to provide care or drop off supplies. It’s easy to change passcodes and add and delete users and you can even set time limits so visitors can only gain entry into the property at set times. The BeeLock can also be easily installed in around five minutes, without the need for external tools.
The Bee-DWS door and window sensor detects if a window or door is opened, triggers an alarm and alerts the user via the app on their smartphone. The sensor units are attached to individual windows and doors to allow homeowners to check remotely if they have been properly closed. The sensor unit can be fitted by fabricators onto new windows and doors and it can also be retro-fitted onto any existing doors and windows around the home.
The DB1 smart doorbell lets users see who is at their front door and even talk to them via the built-in microphone and speaker if they’re not home. And there’s an obvious benefit for those confined to their homes in this current pandemic – they can turn unwanted callers away or instruct delivery drivers to leave parcels outside, without having to open their front door.
These are just some of the devices that can be added to the system, but the range also includes a motion sensor, an object movement sensor, an indoor/outdoor camera, a 360° camera and a smoke detector.
www.kenricks.co.uk