In places that can accommodate them, outdoor living spaces have always been a hot commodity. With that in mind, though, outdoor living has been a booming business for integrators and manufacturers, so much so that recently that Bond, the makers of Bond Bridge, reached out to its customer base to see what is most important when kitting out their exterior space with motorized products such as screens and awnings with its 2023 Annual Survey into Outdoor Spaces.

Customers Interesting in Motorized Screens Often Already Own Motorized Indoor Shades

When we think about outdoor motorized products, we might immediately jump to shading and screens, but as Bond is quick to point out in its annual survey, the modern outdoor living space has plenty of other options including louvers, awnings and shutters.

Motorized screens, however, remain perhaps the most popular items customers are using (59%) with awnings coming in at a close second (57.7%). Louvers ran third at 24.4%, while only 10.3% of respondents reported using motorized shutters.

What was interesting, however, is that when asked whether respondents already had motorized interior shades or draperies when they purchased a motorized outdoor product, 75% stated they already did or were planning on adding some, highlighting a potential sales opportunity for dealers looking to expand into outdoor spaces or vice versa.

The main challenge, however, comes down to the value proposition, as, when asked about what features are most important in a motorized exterior solution, 74.7% of respondents said automation and integration with smart home platforms was crucial.

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That certainly tracks, because when asked specifically how important automation and control is when making a purchasing decision, 95% ranked it either a four or five (with five being “extremely important”).

Outdoor Ceiling Fans: An Untapped Market?

If you remember from a while ago, then Editor-in-Chief of CE Pro Jason Knott wrote an article addressing the untapped potential ceiling fans have in the automation space. Well, it seems that same potential may very well carry over into the outdoor living space, as, when asked what other appliances people commonly use in their exterior spaces, ceiling fans we high on the light (69.9%)

Of course, it should come as no surprise to integrators that the top response was lighting (87.3%) given how popular lighting—especially outdoor lighting—has become in space.

Something that definitely resonates with my New England blood however, is the fact that fireplaces (21.5%) and heaters (36.7%) are two popular appliances that customers are using in tandem with exterior screens and other motorized devices to extend the outdoor season in colder climates.

Weather-Based Automations a Salient Sell

It is worth noting that in states like Florida, where outdoor living it quite popular, a motorized screen can fast become a liability during extreme weather events like a hurricane.

For that reason and coinciding with the release of its own weather sensor, Bond asked respondents in its annual survey how valuable it would be to be able to automate exterior fixtures based on weather conditions, with 72.2% stating that it is very valuable to them. Meanwhile, 13.9% ranked it as slightly important, and 13.9% ranked it as not very important.

Of those same respondents, 64.5% said that being able to receive notifications for said automations is also incredibly important. This also ties into a separate question Bond asked as to how important state feedback was for the consumer—i.e. indication if the screen is open/stuck.

Nearly all respondents (89.7%) stated it was an important feature to have with their outdoor motorized solutions, hinting at the fact that for dealers offering these types of solutions, proper notifications and communication between product and end user can be just as valuable as the product itself.

The ability to offer weather-based automations should also be considered of providing great value to the integrator as well, as the ability to retract devices during inclement weather means a lower likelihood of technology becoming damaged, requiring the integrator to send out technicians for repair.

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