Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2017 - 10

July/August 2017

s h o w

d i r e c t o r ' s

HOW THE INTERNET OF THINGS WILL IMPACT YOUR DESIGNS

ust last August, Forbes.com posted an article that
predicted that the Internet of Things (IoT) will
be one of the top disruptive forces in 2017 - impacting both consumer and business-to-business
behaviors. This would, in their estimation, begin
to take shape with the rapid connection of data,
things and people. These intelligent systems will
quickly continue to grow and expand, touching
many different facets of our daily lives, including our homes.
With this tech revolution taking shape in our homes, how has that impacted how you design, remodel or build? If you are not paying attention to
the emergence of this issue, here is why you might want to rethink how you
can incorporate this into your own business.
We have all heard about the importance of design for the 76.4 million boomers out there, many of whom aspire to live independently for as long as they are
able. Remember, those 65 and older are expected to account for more than a
third of all remodelling projects in the U.S. by 2025. Certainly as a design com-

n o t e

munity we can assist by incorporating grab bars,
walk-in tubs, wider door jambs and master baths
on the main floor into our designs. However, what
role can connected spaces play in these designs?
The Virginia Tech FutureHAUS Bathroom,
unveiled at KBIS 2016, brought this issue to life.
Among other things in this highly connected
space, the flooring was able to detect a potential fall
and contact a caregiver. It was so smart, in fact, that
the bathroom would literally adjust the counter
height and lighting based on your specific needs.
On the other end of the spectrum, what about
those digitally native millennials? As this demographic continues to gain traction in the workforce
and develops personal wealth, they will be willing
to spend more on smart design. Schlage partnered
with Wakefield Research just last year and found
that 86 percent of millennials are willing to pay
more in rent for a connected apartment.This trend
will no doubt continue into home ownership.
With this fast-approaching convergence of
technology and design, you will need to make
sure you are not just on top of design trends but
technology as well.
Earlier this year, Emerald Expositions, publisher of KBB and producers of KBIS, acquired the
CEDIA expo, the leading event in home technology in the U.S. Throughout this issue of KBB, we
will further explore these connected spaces and
how they will impact design in the home. We
also will introduce you to the event, which will
take place in San Diego, Sept. 5-9, 2017. I would
love to personally invite you to attend - you won't
be sorry you did.
You can always connect with me via email,or join
the conversation on any of our social channels.And
don't forget about visiting KBBonline.com for the
latest news and happenings in the industry.

BRIAN PAGEL
Senior Vice President
Brian.pagel@emeraldexpo.com
Twitter: @bspagel

Kitchen & Bath Business / JULY-AUGUST 2017 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)

http://www.Forbes.com http://www.KBBonline.com http://www.twitter.com/bspagel http://www.KBBONLINE.COM http://www.KBIS.com

Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business - July/August 2017