The internet has revolutionized the way our homes and workspaces operate. Thanks to the automation of home devices, such as smart thermostats and Wi-Fi enabled appliances like robot vacuum cleaners; technology is transforming the way people interact with the most mundane household items. Even offices are taking advantage of the ever-expanding line of smart home appliances, with more and more offices calling themselves “smart offices.”

A smart office is a workplace powered by technology, and the goal of a smart office is to incentivize employees to work more efficiently and, of course, work smarter. Sensors, beacons, and mobile apps help employees perform their job duties better and faster; this, in turn, gives employees more time and mental capacity to take their tasks to the next level. Think about it: employees used to have to stand up and walk across the room to clock in and clock out. 

Now, an employee can clock in and clock out from the comfort of their desk by using a mobile app. The simple act of clocking into work saves employees a few minutes of their time, and although this doesn’t sound like much, a few minutes can be the difference between meeting deadlines or falling behind. 

Furthermore, employees who work in a smart office have better communication as opposed to people who work in a traditional office. Sensors can notify you if a particular conference room is booked and tell you how long it’ll be occupied. Employees no longer waste time walking up and down flights of stairs only to find out the conference room is already in use. 

Best of all, employees can be in constant contact with each other through messaging systems and chat rooms. The accessibility of online messaging makes cubicle life feel less isolated. Smart technology promotes productivity, is fun to use, and keeps office employees satisfied. All of these benefits increase your business’s bottom line. Here are some reasons to consider turning your regular office into a smart office. 

You take pride in inviting your friends over to your house on the weekends, and your home is now hailed as the hang out spot among your friend circle. The living room bustles with sounds coming from your television when your friends get together. However, you can’t help but feel like something is missing from these gatherings—could it be that your entertainment center is too dated? If you’re still not using a flat-screen television or you don’t own a set of speakers yet, then it’s time for an upgrade. 

Don’t let your archaic entertainment center be the reason why your friends stop coming over. There are several ways to give your entertainment center a boost, such as investing in a new television with superior viewing angles and speakers to enhance music. Ultimate entertainment centers are comprised of modern, smart electronics and should look organized and elegant. 

Choosing the Right Flat Screen TV

Looking at flat-screen televisions can be intimidating, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the terminology and latest specs. Selecting the right TV for you depends on how frequent you’ll be watching shows and your personal needs. Start by considering who will be using this TV. Will it be just you? Do you have a spouse or children who take turns watching TV? By answering these questions, you’ll determine if it’s necessary to go for a TV with streaming capabilities and Wi-Fi connectivity. This will also help you decide which screen size to go with. To determine the best television size, consider your room’s dimensions, planned audience seating size, and your room’s arrangement. 

Next, you’ll need to determine your cost range. Costs of televisions vary greatly based on their features, technology, and picture performance. The saying “you get what you pay for” reigns true when purchasing a television; at the same time, don’t feel pressured to invest in a 4K resolution TV if you’re not hosting extravagant parties every weekend and are looking for simplicity. There’s now a wide range of technology that can enhance picture quality such as 4K resolution, High Dynamic Range (HDR), processing type, expanded colors, and even the way an LED is backlit. 

You take pride in inviting your friends over to your house on the weekends, and your home is now hailed as the hang out spot among your friend circle. The living room bustles with sounds coming from your television when your friends get together. However, you can’t help but feel like something is missing from these gatherings—could it be that your entertainment center is too dated? If you’re still not using a flat-screen television or you don’t own a set of speakers yet, then it’s time for an upgrade. 

You know about smart homes, and you’re most likely living in one. Have you ever pictured your office benefiting from smart home technology? What started off as a futuristic concept is now an attainable reality that you and your employees can take advantage of. From 2015-2017, the number of smart homes increased from 17 million to 29 million, according to data from McKinsey Quarterly. That growth is only projected to keep increasing, with experts predicting that the smart home market will surpass $158 billion by the year 2022. It’s no longer just homeowners who are making use of smart home automation, now you can also use smart home technology at your company’s office. 

 When you upgrade your office to smart home technology, you’ll not only be modernizing your office to new, smaller appliances that are more eye-catching, but you’ll be able to monitor your systems around the clock. This will dramatically increase the efficiency in your office. You might hold some understandable reservations about implementing smart home technology into your office, such as worrying if your employees will be confused about smart technology usage. However, programmable ecosystems should set your mind at ease, since connected smart home devices learn how people live and know how to adjust to their comfort accordingly. In a business setting, these smart home devices can automatically optimize an office’s environment by learning the times your office is most occupied, as well as by helping your employees be the most productive they can be. 

Connected smart devices will help your company cut back on inefficient operations. All you have to do is take advantage of the wide selection of smart home technology and tailor it to your office; this will turn your space into a more valuable, strategic asset. 

Increase Energy Efficiency 

One of the most important smart home advantages that can be applied to your office is learning to automate your environmental control. The market for smart thermostats, which includes both residential and commercial, is expected to grow by more than 20% within the next five years. Having the privilege to automatically monitor your office’s energy usage to adjust your space’s temperature, lighting, and water usage goes a long way toward reducing wasteful energy consumption. The emergence of smart home thermostats gives companies the opportunity to boost their efficiency, and smart home thermostats can lower your office’s electric bills by roughly 25%. A smart home thermostat will reduce heating and cooling to a minimum when employees aren’t present in the office, but the smart thermostat will also optimize these temperatures when people are in the building. It’s no secret that smart thermostats provide one of the most immediate returns on investment. 

Enlist a Virtual Assistant

Have you ever needed an extra hand at the office? You’re already busy enough running your company and ensuring that your employees are working at their peak performance. Take some of that weight off your shoulders by making use of a virtual assistant that ties all of your smart devices together into a cohesive office. 27% of people in the United States currently own a virtual assistant. These consumers primarily use a virtual assistant to connect with and command apps instead of picking up their phones to manually do it. Using your phone is becoming the old-fashioned way of commanding apps. Imagine using your personal virtual assistant to quickly skim through emails, schedule meetings, and receive important information within a matter of seconds. Ask your virtual assistant what the weather is like outside, or you can ask about what last quarter’s revenue looked like. Although Artificial Intelligence still needs further development to fully emulate human-to-human dialogue, the prospect of an AI robot that you can hold a full conversation with is only a few years away.

You know about smart homes, and you’re most likely living in one. Have you ever pictured your office benefiting from smart home technology? What started off as a futuristic concept is now an attainable reality that you and your employees can take advantage of. From 2015-2017, the number of smart homes increased from 17 million to 29 million, according to data from McKinsey Quarterly. That growth is only projected to keep increasing, with experts predicting that the smart home market will surpass $158 billion by the year 2022. It’s no longer just homeowners who are making use of smart home automation, now you can also use smart home technology at your company’s office.

Smart technology is no longer limited to your phone—it’s everywhere. The latest home trends all incorporate smart home technology, which is designed to make your day-to-day life fun and easy to navigate. Smart homes aren’t necessarily new, they have existed since the 1920s. The first smart home technology that was developed are the appliances that are staples to our homes today. Smart home technology came to be with the advent of the vacuum cleaner. The next two decades introduced the television, washer, and dryer. Although we no longer perceive these appliances as “smart,” they were innovative during this time period. Now, these are items that your home can’t do without. 

Similarly, smart home technology is now an advancement that your home can’t do without. The idea of a futuristic home was once a concept that only existed in science fiction. Now, smart houses are a tangible reality. 28% of all houses will transition to smart homes by the year 2021, according to the media research group, Kagan. 

You don’t need the entirety of your home to be fully self-automated, but there are a few parts of your home that can easily be upgraded to smart home technology. You don’t need to live in a mansion to reap the benefits of smart home technology. Not only are smart homes an intelligent experience, but they are also a personal one. Why would you willingly stand up to do simple tasks, when they can now be done through your phone? Phones and tablets are the brains of your smart home, as several tasks can be performed now by using apps. The truth is, manually doing chores is becoming an artifact of the past. Smart home technology improves your daily routine.

Smart Home Light Bulbs

Have you ever been comfortably sitting on your couch, enjoying your favorite show when suddenly you realize that you forgot to turn off your lights? It’s annoying. Lucky for you, by switching to smart home lighting, you won’t ever have to go through that undesirable experience again. Upgrading your house’s lights should be the first step in your smart home journey. Not only is it the easiest step, but it is also one of the most affordable changes you can make. Simply by changing your dated LED lights to smart light bulbs, you will experience a shift in the environment. Smart light bulbs can be controlled using an application on your phone or tablet or through your computer. 

You can program your lights to turn on and off at a certain time. You can even program your smart lights to start dimming at a certain hour, no dimmer switch required. One of the best parts about upgrading to smart light bulbs is the accessible price range. If you’re not too concerned about looks and are looking for a bulb that is both functional and cheap, a white smart lightbulb will suffice. If you want a pop of color in your home, you can also upgrade to color-changing smart light bulbs. Color-changing smart light bulbs are fun and customizable. Right out of the box, most color-changing smart light bulbs can be adjusted to mimic the sunrise and sunset. You can set your light to any color of the rainbow; you can even replicate a rainbow. You can streamline your color-changing light bulbs with your everyday tasks. You can make your light bulb turn green whenever you receive an email. Do you find it difficult to wake up? When your alarm goes off in the morning, you can set up your color-changing smart light bulb to flash red while your alarm blares. Your smart light bulbs will change the mood of your atmosphere with no effort. 

Smart technology is no longer limited to your phone—it’s everywhere. The latest home trends all incorporate smart home technology, which is designed to make your day-to-day life fun and easy to navigate. Smart homes aren’t necessarily new, they have existed since the 1920s. The first smart home technology that was developed are the appliances that are staples to our homes today. Smart home technology came to be with the advent of the vacuum cleaner. The next two decades introduced the television, washer, and dryer. Although we no longer perceive these appliances as “smart,” they were innovative during this time period. Now, these are items that your home can’t do without.

The creation of a smart home is personal and layered. Every homeowner can go about it in their own way and in their own timing. Maybe you want to get it done all at once, with an integrated system that is designed as one. Or perhaps you’d prefer to build your system slowly and meticulously, choosing pieces that work for your needs and finding ways to integrate what you can. There are pros and cons to every way you choose to create your own smart home system  It all comes down to what you need, what you know, and how you want your smart home to develop. 

AMT Integration is where you can turn for smart home solutions of all shapes and sizes. We are passionate about modern technology that can make your home more comfortable, safe, responsive, and energy efficient. We love to help homeowners create a smart home system that meets their personal needs, not just the fancy new pieces of technology that your neighbor brags about. AMT Integration knows all of the different options for smart home technology on the market today, and exactly how they might work in your home. We can consult with you on a personal level to answer your questions about different smart home options and ways to keep your family safe. 

What is a Smart Home? 

Before we dive deep into what your home needs and what options are available, we should first define what a smart home can be for you and others. A smart home is one that uses technology to improve the function of the home in any major way. A smart home is one that is more comfortable, energy-efficient, remotely controllable, safe, secure, and targeted than the standard home by use of special technology designed for homeowners. It may mean one or two pieces of technology or smart technology on every single wall and in every single room. A smart home is simply one that is using technology to improve the lives of the people living there. 

5 Things Your Smart Home Needs

The creation of a smart home is personal and layered. Every homeowner can go about it in their own way and in their own timing. Maybe you want to get it done all at once, with an integrated system that is designed as one. Or perhaps you’d prefer to build your system slowly and meticulously, choosing pieces that work for your needs and finding ways to integrate what you can. There are pros and cons to every way you choose to create your own smart home system  It all comes down to what you need, what you know, and how you want your smart home to develop.

Never before have you had so many options for modernizing your home or office with smart technology. If there’s a problem in your home, chances are we can solve it with technology. It’s an amazing time to be alive. At AMT Integration, this is our passion. We love to learn to use new technology inside and out, and then use it to make your life, home, office, health, and comfort just a little bit better. We live in the future, so why shouldn’t we use this impressive technology to create the best possible life we can?

From alarm systems to cameras, smart thermostats to automated electrical functions, AMT Integration has a beat on the pulse of modern smart technology for homes and businesses, and we use our expertise to help our fantastic customers. Not only do we offer the pieces of technology you need to create a smart home or smart office, but we can also customize and build a smart system from the ground up to meet your exact needs and specifications.

Why Use Smart Technology?

One question we get a lot from skeptical customers is “Why do I need smart technology? What I have works just fine.” We aren’t trying to throw out your way of doing things. We simply want to make your job and life easier, more affordable, safer, more environmentally friendly, and more informed. Smart technology may not be strictly necessary in your home or business, but have you stopped to ask yourself ways that smart technology could benefit your home or business?

Financial benefits are among the first considered by our customers. Smart technology can save you money in utilities, increase the value of your home or business, and prevent costly repairs or replacements due to theft or accident. Other benefits of smart technology include comfort, modernization, safety, control, and many, many more.

Motorized Shades

Today we’re talking about one of our favorite ways to integrate technology into your home or business: motorized shades. Yep, you read that right. Shades or blinds on a motor that are controlled via remote or smart home technology are becoming increasingly popular in homes and especially businesses. But why?

Never before have you had so many options for modernizing your home or office with smart technology. If there’s a problem in your home, chances are we can solve it with technology. It’s an amazing time to be alive. At AMT Integration, this is our passion. We love to learn to use new technology inside and out, and then use it to make your life, home, office, health, and comfort just a little bit better. We live in the future, so why shouldn’t we use this impressive technology to create the best possible life we can?

A media room is a modern essential. Having a room to relax and enjoy movies, sports events, tv shows, video games, and more can create longtime memories that will invite everyone into your home. A media room creates an incredible opportunity to host for family, friends, and neighbors. The options for your media room are endless, and you can easily customize your media room to become the perfect hangout to meet your needs.

Right now your media room might just be a family room. Or maybe you have an unfinished basement that’s just begging to become the showstopping media room you see in the magazines. Perhaps you have the big screen TV but nothing else, and you’re wondering how to maximize that space for your family and to create options. No matter what your situation, AMT Integration can help you understand your modern technology options and smart home gear that can change your media room experience.

Why Create a Media Room?

Many homeowners ask us “What’s the point of a media room? Can’t I just use my family room?” You can certainly use your family room to host the Super Bowl or finally have that Star Wars movie marathon, but wouldn’t a dedicated media or theater room be much more awesome? The point of a media room or theater room is to create a space dedicated to entertainment and relaxing in your home. Family rooms are often designed for gathering, toy storage, photo display, and a hundred other purposes. Your media room is a spot for exclusive entertainment and can be catered to whatever your family does best.

A media room is especially important to people who love to host, and families with teenagers. If you love to host parties, watch awards shows, binge watch your favorite TV shows and movies, and follow sports teams, a media room can be the solution to all of your problems. A media room can provide a spot for the serious viewers to gather while freeing up the kitchen and family room for other members of the party.

A media room is a modern essential. Having a room to relax and enjoy movies, sports events, tv shows, video games, and more can create longtime memories that will invite everyone into your home. A media room creates an incredible opportunity to host for family, friends, and neighbors. The options for your media room are endless, and you can easily customize your media room to become the perfect hangout to meet your needs.

Right now your media room might just be a family room. Or maybe you have an unfinished basement that’s just begging to become the showstopping media room you see in the magazines. Perhaps you have the big screen TV but nothing else, and you’re wondering how to maximize that space for your family and to create options. No matter what your situation, AMT Integration can help you understand your modern technology options and smart home gear that can change your media room experience.

Smart home technology has been an exciting development in this day and age, but there’s no need to keep the advancements in the home. Smart home technology can be even more effective for protecting and optimizing your workspace. Using smart home technology in your office may seem unnecessary and expensive, but there are actually a plethora of benefits to bringing new and updated tools into your workspace.

At AMT Integration we are passionate about creating a web of smart technology that meets the exact needs of our customers. We utilize a wide range of tools to create a smart space that is safe, comfortable, efficient, as well as time- and money-saving. Today, AMT Integration is sharing some critical information and benefits of using a Nest or other smart thermostat in your office space. If you’ve been considering this type of smart technology for your office space, read carefully to determine if a smart thermostat could be the right choice for your office, and exactly how to make your smart office happen.

Technology is rapidly changing our world. There are plenty of new gadgets to optimize every part of your life, from your front door to your last email on vacation. If there is a problem or sore spot in your life, chances are there is some new technology that can solve it for you. If not, just wait a minute and one will be invented. While many of the new technological advancements focus on creating a smart home or increasing the efficiency of your favorite hobby or sport, there are so many new ways to improve your office.

Why Make a Smart Office?

In an office, the bottom line is, well, the bottom line. Many office owners and administrators may spend their efforts on ideas that cut costs and maximize profits, so upgrading features of the office to make it more “smart” can seem expensive and useless. Creating a smart office will take time, effort, money, and a significant learning curve as everyone learns to work with the new smart technology. It takes work, and you may not have the necessary time and funds to complete the task of assembling a smart office from the ground up.

So why should you consider making your office a smart office? There are actually many reasons. First of all, though there are upfront purchases necessary for creating a smart office, the technology that enables a smart office will also save you money in utilities and productivity. Next, it’s a process that will benefit you in the long term. Finally, it’s a winner for employees and customers.

Money-Saving Smart Offices

A smart office utilizes technology in ways that will help it run more efficiently. This can look very different for each office and company based on their needs, but the general idea is that you can automate so many of your regular processes to maximize your dollar and run things smoothly. You know the costs that come with operating your business, and your overhead has a significant impact on your profit margins. What if we told you that upgrading to a smart office would decrease your costs AND improve the quality of life inside your office?

Let’s begin with the most common example – a smart thermostat. Installing a Nest or other smart thermostat allows you to automate the temperature of your office, and to control it remotely. This means that you can create a “schedule” for your office’s temperature. Turning down the temperature while you’re closed can save hundreds of dollars a year, and keep you from paying extra because someone forgot to turn down the heat over Christmas Break when your office was vacant.

Technology is rapidly changing our world. There are plenty of new gadgets to optimize every part of your life, from your front door to your last email on vacation. If there is a problem or sore spot in your life, chances are there is some new technology that can solve it for you. If not, just wait a minute and one will be invented. While many of the new technological advancements focus on creating a smart home or increasing the efficiency of your favorite hobby or sport, there are so many new ways to improve your office.

We may not have flying cars or jetpacks yet, but smart home technology has definitely made it feel like we’re finally in “the future.” Smart home technology is important, life-changing, and constantly evolving. It seems that every year new home automation tools are created or released to benefit homeowners everywhere. There are so many options on the market today that can transform your home to be a more comfortable nest and an impenetrable fortress.

The description “smart home” is a very generic umbrella term. The way you convert your home to a smart home is completely personal and customizable. It’s one of the very best features of home automation! You can buy whole-home systems, or you can assemble your own system piece by piece that will fit your individual needs and the size, style, and orientation of your home.

We’re not here to tell you exactly HOW to build your own smart home, just four major financial benefits that you’ll get from making your home more “smart.”

Crestron’s intuitive, robust systems make them the ideal option for new commercial building projects

You’re a builder, architect or designer hired to build a large office building, and the client has asked for a comprehensive commercial automation system. A number of companies have devices and systems you could recommend, but which one will give you the best result and make your clients happy? At AMT Integration, we recommend Crestron for all your commercial automation needs. As a Crestron installer, we’re familiar with the needs of Salt Lake City businesses, and we can create a custom solution that will leave your clients floored. Here are some Crestron systems we can help install in your next commercial building project.

Improve productivity, cut costs, make collaboration easier and more

There’s very little time or money to waste in the life of a small business, and yet so many companies throw away valuable resources on outdated technology. If you’re a business owner in the Salt Lake City region, we at AMT Integration want to help you and your business be all they can be. Let us show you all the benefits commercial automation systems have to offer.

Near-silent shades offer total lighting control for homeowners

Looking to make your West Jordan, Utah, home smarter, more energy-efficient, and more comfortable while improving your interior design? Motorized shades can help you accomplish all these things, and QMotion shades are an excellent option for any homeowner. No matter what style of shades you’re looking for, QMotion has a product for you. Here are some of the benefits you’ll see after installing their shades: