The home automation and control market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.36 percent between 2014 and 2020, and reach $12.81 billion by 2020, according to a new market research report published by MarketsandMarkets.

As technology advances and major players like Apple and Google step into this market, more consumers are going to start demanding products that can integrate and function in a smart home system. And as consumers start to expect more from their HVAC equipment, they’ll also expect more from their contractor.

Purvis, the executive vice president and business leader of Emerson Climate Technologies Inc. and incoming chairman of AHRI, discussed HVACR industry trends, the strength of the industry, and Emerson’s new innovation center with Gargaro.

The ZigBee® Alliance, a nonprofit association of organizations creating open, global standards to define the Internet of Things, has announced the unification of its wireless standards into a single standard named ZigBee 3.0.

According to an ON World survey with over 1,000 U.S. adults, over a third believe they will have wireless sensors in their home within five years and 20 percent of the likely adopters expect to have 50 or more wireless sensors installed within the next five years. 

GE and Quirky have unveiled seven new connected home products — including a smart HVAC controller designed to replace thermostats — that are available now on the new Wink.com. At the website, consumers can purchase more than 100 Wink-compatible partner products from 15 brands.

Savant®, a leading smart home technology company, has released new survey results that indicate more than half of consumers in the United States believe that home automation will be an everyday feature in less than 10 years.

The Thread Group announced that it has opened membership and will begin accepting applications from companies interested in using the Thread protocol in their products. The group was established in July by seven companies to develop Thread, a new IP-based wireless mesh networking protocol designed specifically for the home.

Savant®, a smart home technology company, has announced the Savant App, which enable homeowners to control their HVAC, lighting, security, and entertainment systems from a single, easy-to-use app. Calling the technology the Single App Home©, the company said it offers a high level of personalization.