By CEDIA - Wed, Jan 8, 2025 - Blog
Although some people use the terms “smart home” and “home automation” interchangeably, they’re not exactly the same thing.
Smart homes let users control devices and functions (e.g. heating, security, lighting) remotely or from a centralised control. Home automation refers to preset actions that don’t require intervention. Home automation can be part of a smart home or a standalone feature. It’s also possible to have a smart home without automation.
It’s important to understand the distinctions between them to make informed decisions when it comes to your home. We’ll explain more about smart homes, home automation, the key differences and how the technologies work together.
A smart home is a setup that lets you control devices remotely (i.e. from your phone) or from a centralised location (i.e. a control panel).
Some popular elements of smart home technology are smart lighting, smart security and smart temperature control.
Smart homes offer various benefits including:
You can control parts of your home without even being there. So, you can easily warm up your property for when you return from a trip.
If you have a disability, you can adapt devices with smart home technology to make them more accessible. For example, if you’re deaf or hard of hearing, you can program a video doorbell to flash lights or appear on your TV.
Smart security systems help you feel reassured that your home is safe when you’re not there. With remote access to surveillance cameras, you can check your property wherever you are.
A home automation system involves programming actions to happen without any manual intervention. Sometimes these actions are called logic or sequences. Home automation can respond to set schedules (i.e. something happens at a certain time) or trigger-based events (i.e. something will only happen if a specific other event occurs).
Two of the most common ways of programming automation are based on time and sensors. Time-based home automation responds to set schedules, such as an automated heating system that cools down every evening. An example of sensor-based home automation is motion-activated lights – often part of a security system, where exterior lights turn on if somebody approaches the property. You can also trigger home automation via a voice command or other sensors (such as temperature).
For advanced home automation, you can combine time-based and sensor-based automation. For instance, you may want your heating to turn on every morning at a set time – unless your home has already reached a certain temperature. Once you’ve set up your home automation, you don’t need to control anything. So, you can relax while your home performs just how you like it.
The main differences between smart home and home automation technology are:
Smart homes and home automation complement each other for a cohesive experience. For example, a smart thermostat with an automated routine will create optimal temperature control – without the need for manual interaction.
By combining both technologies, you’ll get maximum benefits. You’ll get enhanced efficiency and energy savings from home automation with the convenience and remote access of smart home technologies. It’s the best of both worlds.
Smart lighting that turns on when you say “Lights off” is great. But what if your lights go off whenever you leave the room without the need to say a word? By adding automated sequences into your smart home, you don’t have to control your devices and functions. You can set everything up once and then enjoy everything working automatically.
When choosing between a connected smart home and a home automation system, there are things to consider such as your:
CEDIA members will help guide you on which of the two technologies to go with – or how to set up a system that uses them both. Talk to a Smart Home Professional about what you’re looking for and they’ll advise you.
While automation forms part of many smart homes, it doesn’t have to. You can have a smart home without automation. You can still connect your devices to one system but keep complete control – whether that’s remotely or from a panel. On the other hand, you don’t have to think about any functions if you don’t want to. You can go for a fully automated system where everything responds to sensors or time. It’s up to you. There are benefits to each technology – and that’s why lots of people use both.