Honeywell has launched a white paper entitled Smart Homes of the Future in response to increasing demand on installers by homeowners to fit ‘smart home’ technology.

Based on research from more than 2,000 homeowners, installers and electricians, the document aims to bridge the gap between the growing demand from homeowners for smart home technology and the rest of the market, to ensure installers and electricians don’t miss out on new business opportunities.

Statistics show that more than two thirds (68%) of homeowners are aware of the concept of smart homes and nearly half of all respondents (47%) would be interested in having a fully connected smart home. Of those, 71% said that lowering their energy bills would be as the reason for this.

However, 40% of respondents said they wouldn’t know where to start to go about achieving a smart home and 70% would turn to the internet first.

The research also revealed that 74% of installers would like to become a smart installer but admitted they hear more about smart technologies in the national press, rather than through their dedicated trade press; while 100% of electricians surveyed expressed an interest in becoming a smart installer, with more than 53% recognising the need to partner with other smart technology providers to turn this into a reality.

Despite the statistics only one third are actively installing smart appliances today.

Andy Mansfield, marketing communications manager at Honeywell comments: “The findings illustrate a real gap in the market exists between the pull from homeowners for smart technology and the push from electricians and installers. We need to work together as an industry to close that gap quickly, before it’s too late.”

To download the white paper visit http://www.honeywelluk.com/news/Smart-homes-of-the-future/.