A common challenge technology integration firms like Precision Media Solutions often face is being introduced to a project only after a budget is finalized and the foundation is laid. They aim to educate architects to encourage collaboration earlier.
“When should we be brought in? Before a hole is dug and ideally before a permit is pulled,” said the owner and President of Precision Media Solutions, Brian Richards.
When technology integration firms are not consulted at the start of a project it can cause added costs for homeowners and more work for architects. Reframing walls is one example of a time-consuming change that allows the technology to be seamlessly integrated into the architect’s design.
“Every luxury home build now includes critically important connected technology. In order to maximize the performance of these needed products it is critical that the architects, designers and builders view the integrator the same as the MEPs and communicate with them early and often in the project cycle,” said Partner at PureTech Alliance, David Thomas. PureTech Alliance is a national sales organization that provides custom integrators with health and wellness technology, including Precision Media Solutions.
Since 2020, Precision Media Solutions has been part of the Guild Integrators Alliance. This group represents 15 of the best technology integration firms in the U.S. Thomas noted that even the best integrators, like the Guild Integrators Alliance members, are frequently not brought into a project until builders are heavily involved and framing has started.
“We appreciate the more sophisticated design team that understands that technology is part of the modern home and it has to be considered from day one,” said Richards.
CEDIA is a global association that represents professionals in the smart home technology industry. In CEDIA’s 2023 Professional Smart Home Market Analysis, they estimated that 20,000 integration companies are sustaining a $29 billion industry in the U.S. This industry has grown by over $8 billion since CEDIA’s 2022 Market Analysis. Additionally, over 80% of integrators claimed they have a significant influence over customer purchasing decisions. Technology integration firms are contributing to market growth by prioritizing communication with architects and teaching architects about the systems they install.
According to Richards, electricians and plumbers are typically not comfortable or familiar with the products offered by Precision Media Solutions creating unnecessary time and communication issues.
“The customers, the clients, the wealthy luxury home builders just don’t know where to go get this. HVAC and plumbing are all offering some of this at a low level, but the more advanced connected systems are not being offered or sold to the luxury residential homeowner,” explained Thomas.
Recently, Precision Media Solutions installed a home water filtration device supplied by PureTech Alliance that removes multiple impurities from water such as bacteria, viruses, pesticides, volatile organic compounds and more using complete reverse osmosis technology.
Richards explained that the client loved knowing his family was drinking clean water and noticed a difference in his water when he put a spherical ice cube in his glass of whiskey. “He can just use water right out of the tap and you get a perfectly clear whiskey ball. You generally have to boil water to create that otherwise they are cloudy like water normally is,” he said.
In 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services conducted a study that determined on average, a liter of bottled water included about 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic. PureTech Alliance’s products offer homeowners multiple alternatives to bottled water that provide clean drinking and bathing water as well as best-in-class air purification systems.
PureTech Alliance and Precision Media Solutions are helping architects in the luxury market understand the value this technology can provide to their clients. “Something we’ve tried to do is reach out to architectural firms who are willing to meet with us and do lunch and learns at our showroom to explain all of our solutions including clean air and water technology,” Richards said.
Precision Media Solutions is located in Colorado and Richards acknowledges that this market has an impact on when technology integrators get involved. “It’s a builder-run market or it’s an architect-run market. When it’s a builder-run market the coordination between us and architects is typically very low because the builders desire to control everything,” he explained.
While Precision Media Solutions is focused on educating architects in Colorado, PureTech Alliance is focused on educating architects on a national level. “Our biggest job these days is trying to get ahead and trying to make the specification community actually understand what is available, when it needs to be specified and give us a seat at the table sooner, instead of later,” Thomas said.
