In recent years, there’s been a groundswell of interest and discussions around connecting the custom integration channel with the design, architect, and build professionals. Talk is cheap, though, and now CEDIA, the Association for Smart Home Professionals, is putting together a plan to turn that talk into action. The group today announced the formation of a Design & Build Outreach Department that has the sole mission to help not only connect CEDIA members with that channel but help them grow their businesses by fostering strong relationships with those professionals.
CEDIA has tapped Andrea Harvey, a design professional with two decades of experience in the segment, to lead the department.
“I’m excited to bring my background in design and industry relationships to CEDIA, with a focus on strengthening connections between the design and technology communities and supporting meaningful, long-term growth within the design and build sector,” Harvey said in a statement.
As the founder of Ash Interiors & Design, Harvey leveraged strong relationships withing the design-build ecosystem to drive collaboration among the professions. CEDIA shared that her background includes time spent with luxury manufacturers, delivering professional education programs, and presenting at national industry forums.
In her role leading the new department, Harvey will be tasked with increasing the profile of smart home technology within the home construction process. That includes working to convince home build professionals that the technology is an essential component of the modern home and engaging with those same professionals to help connect them with the right technology partners.
CEDIA notes that Harvey will have a full slate of tools available to her to assist in those efforts, including targeted events, strategic partnerships, and program developments.
“CEDIA’s role is to elevate the industry and give our members a competitive advantage,” CEDIA Global President and CEO Daryl Friedman said in the statement. “Building on our long-standing program giving CEDIA members the tools to provide accredited education to designers and architects, this new department will provide even more tools for CEDIA members to build their businesses through strategic partnerships with related professionals.”
The appointment of Harvey and launch of the new Design & Build Outreach arm is a big step forward for CEDIA’s efforts to better connect integrators with parallel professions in the home build industry. The association has built key partnerships with a number of global design associations, including the British Institute of Interior Design, the American Society of Interior Designers, the National Kitchen & Bath Association, and the Royal Institute of British Architects. In addition, CEDIA supported the launch of Smart Home Day, a new initiative set on November 3rd each year that’s intended to raise awareness around the smart home industry and the professionals who make the tech work.
For more info on the new CEDIA division, head to www.cedia.org/designbuild.
