Aussie homes getting smarter

Almost a third of all new Australian homes are now adding in smart wiring as they are built, in order to better handle technologies like fibre broadband.

A survey of 600 of Australia’s biggest building companies found smart wiring - the industry-backed home technology standard - is now in 32% of new homes and had jumped by over 10% since last year. Over a quarter of all renovations had also opted for smart wiring, a jump of 14% since 2011.

Nearly half all new homes installing smart wiring cost between $300,000 to $500,000 to build, with people under 45 years old still the biggest age group opting to put in extra cabling for technology.

“Smart wiring was developed by nearly every organisation and company in the Australian electrical & telecommunication sector, so that technology at home works the way it’s supposed to,” according to John Fennell of the Smart Wiring Consortium.

“Consumers now know how big and fast technology is getting, and are realising a wired home just handles technologies like 1 gig broadband, ultra high definition or 3D movies, multiroom data and videoconferencing a whole lot better than wireless,” Fennell said.

“It adds only 1% to the costs of building the average new home and is backed by industry with training and accreditation for installers.

“The NBN Co, the company rolling out fibre to the home across the country, has also pointed out that a wired solution is the optimum way to get all the benefits of fibre,” Fennell said.