The Week in Five: October 30, 2026

Welcome to The Week in Five here on the Connected Design Podcast. I’m Rob Stott, editor in chief of Connected Design.

This week: commercial spaces that can change, audio that belongs in the architecture, practical uses for AI in lighting, two familiar industry leaders in new roles, and a reason to reconnect with your design partners.

First, making flexibility useful.

Connected Design’s Industry Pulse research finds that ninety percent of respondents see more client interest in commercial spaces supporting multiple uses than they did five years ago. Simple controls and ease of use are prominent priorities.

That’s a reading of our audience’s experience, rather than a census of the industry. But it gives project teams a useful question: who actually changes the room from one activity to another?

A boardroom that can handle training sessions needs a changeover the staff understands. Define the steps, test them with the people using the room, and explain what requires technical support. That’s how adaptability becomes a capability the client can put to work.

Our second story brings that attention to everyday use into the home.

In Connected Design’s new feature, Sound That Belongs, Daisy Denver worked with Studio Shelter and builder DevX on a fifty-seven-hundred-square-foot residence.

Origin Acoustics speakers take different roles across the property. Champagne-finished outdoor bollards contribute to the arrival experience. Inside, ceiling speakers leave the focus on artwork and furnishings. A basement entertainment area uses an in-ceiling surround system to keep floor space clear.

The lesson for integrators and designers is that one house can call for several approaches to visual presence. Discuss where audio should be a visible part of the design and where it should quietly support the room. Those decisions belong alongside finishes and furniture placement.

Third, what lighting-control manufacturers expect from AI.

Writing for Inside Lighting, Craig DiLouie describes a Lighting Controls Academy sentiment survey that places continuous energy optimization, predictive maintenance, and fault detection among the strongest opportunities.

Respondents also see potential in specification, installation, and commissioning support. Many anticipate systems operating within human-defined limits or requiring human approval.

These are expectations from an informal manufacturer survey, not proof of energy savings or a forecast for the entire industry. The practical questions for a project team are specific: what information does the system collect, what can it recommend or change, and who approves those changes?

That conversation can help owners evaluate AI around maintenance and operating needs while keeping responsibility for the lighting experience clear.

Fourth, two industry leaders are starting new chapters.

As Connected Design reported, Mitch Klein has joined BlueConnect Partners as a partner, leading advisory work in partnerships, channel expansion, and ecosystem strategy. His background connects systems integration with manufacturer and industry-alliance experience.

Meanwhile, Michael Braithwaite is the new chief technology officer at Just Video Walls. The NetStreams co-founder brings experience in networked audio and video, intelligent power, and large-scale display systems. The company hasn’t announced specific new products or a development timetable.

Taken together, the appointments are worth watching from two directions: how connected-technology companies build the relationships needed to reach the channel, and how engineering leadership shapes the systems that integrators will eventually specify. They’re separate moves, each with potential relevance beyond the job title.

And fifth, an invitation for next week.

Smart Home Day returns Tuesday, November third. CEDIA’s program includes education, networking, and resources intended to bring integrators together with architects, designers, and builders.

For an integration business, this is an opportunity to make that collaboration tangible. Invite a design partner into your showroom, walk through a completed project, or show how an early decision about lighting, shading, or infrastructure changed the finished experience.

The useful conversation starts with the space and the people who will use it. A demonstration can give everyone a shared reference for the next project.

That’s our five for this week. You’ll find the source links in the episode notes, and more coverage at Connected Design dot Tech.

Thanks for listening to The Week in Five here on the Connected Design Podcast.