How Tech Touches Are Changing Home Design

Home layouts must accommodate electronics, period

Photo Credit: CEDIA Member company - London Audio

Most builders do a good job of anticipating new technologies in their home designs. Some put charging stations in mudrooms for electronic gadgets; some outfit their homes with structured wiring that may be required in the future. But, because many of these features can be tacked on to any home design, most builders haven't had to rethink their layouts. That's changing as technology starts altering floor plans.

Big screen, little screen

According to David McGown, president of Regent Homes, LLC, in Nashville, Tenn., this design trend is being fueled by young buyers. He says that selling to these buyers means designing homes to accommodate their use of technology.

Marketing changes could include downplaying some traditional features, something many builders are reluctant to do, says McGown. "Even today, a lot of homes are still designed around the fireplace," he says, adding that while the TV has long been the center of attention in most homes, it's becoming more so with the availability of flat screen technologies. That's why McGown makes the TV the focal point for his home designs. In one recent home, his company eliminated the fireplace to make room for a big flat-screen TV. "We designed a whole architectural niche for the entertainment center to sit in the main living area of the townhouse adjacent to the kitchen and dining room area," he says.

McGown says that today's computer habits led him to rethink the relative placement of the kitchen and living room. Because many people like to multitask while at their computers, they want the desk in the kitchen, but that doesn't mean they don't want to watch TV at the same time.

Noise control

A step up from the big-screen TV, full-blown home theaters are now common in high-end homes, and they create additional challenges for the designer and builder. The biggest headaches are in townhome or apartment projects where noise is a major concern. Like other communities, Playa Vista, a new 13,000-unit development in Los Angeles that includes single- and multi-family homes, had to include extensive soundproofing features in the multifamily units, including double walls and floor systems with sound-deadening materials.

Even in a single-family home, it's best to place the theater room where noise won't intrude into common areas or bedrooms, and to keep the home theater as far away as possible from the master bedroom. That may require some changes to the builder's standard designs. "We have moved walls and changed floor plans [to accommodate home theaters]," says Larry Heuvelman, a contractor who also serves as outreach instructor for Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association.

Many homeowners end up creating their own home theater experience in the common space after they move in. This "retrofit" makes noise less of an issue for the builder, but Heuvelman says a home can be designed with features to accommodate this practice, such as including soffits that could house a drop-down movie screen.

In homes that are likely to have a lot of electronics, Heuvelman also recommends that the builder consider heat issues. The best approach may actually be to group electronic equipment - computer servers, stereo equipment, etc. - in a central location, and then add cooling to the space. "If the home has an equipment room [for electronic equipment], I like to include a power vent that will pull the heat out into the ventilation system. The HVAC contractor should also consider the heat load from the electronics when sizing the cooling system."

The impact electronics have on a floor plan depends on the project and the buyer profile - but technology should be considered in any design. And, because technology is such a moving target, builders need to stay current on how buyers are using electronic technologies, and to create floor plans that help them. "Technology is part of our lives," says Heuvelman. "Homes need to be ready for it."


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