The ways in which custom integrators can benefit from having trade partners on projects continues to expand and diversify. Think about the kind of impact lighting can generate on a project indoors and out, or how pros can better blend in technology with construction materials the earlier on in a new build or retrofit project.

And smart homes are now desired to be healthy homes by their owners, and toward this end interior designers, architects and builders can have influence as well. It’s another reason wellness can help CE pros get a foot in the door of large projects that need enterprise-grade air quality and water filtration, or widespread lighting fixture installs and programming for human-centric lighting.

With that in mind, here are five education sessions worth considering if you are looking to strengthen trade partners, be a more design-focused integrator and branch into wellness and its related tech (see these suggestions for lighting, audio and video classes to take among the 150+ being offered at CEDIA Expo 2022 too).

The 3P’s of Being a Design Professional Project Partner

Wednesday, Sept. 28 | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Room: D 173

Holly Andre, Specification Sales, Thea Enterprises

The Future of Digital Lighting & Control

As a custom integrator, lighting is in demand. Effective communication, education and showcasing the value proposition of LED light fixtures in conjunction with integrative control systems are the keys to overcoming challenges and closing sales in this specialized market. Join us as we discuss the future of digital lighting and control with David Warfel from Light Can Help You and Patrick Laidlaw and Mark Moody from AiSPIRE. Register Now! 

Positioning yourself as an expert and smart homes project partner with architects, interior designers, and builders is essential to any Home Technology professional. Through CEDIA’s established Outreach Instructor Program (COI), you can build credibility and promote our industry to stakeholders, as well as position the industry as specialists who can work with design professionals to enhance client lifestyles and address their technology needs.

This workshop will cover:

Presentation: How to understand and work with Architects & Designers

Planning: How to adapt your business to focus on being a project partner with design professionals, including key presentation skills and different learning styles

Panel: Listen to a few experienced CEDIA Outreach Instructors (COI) discuss how they work best with design professionals, how they’ve built relationships with them, and what to expect. You can ask questions about their experiences, allowing you to learn from the best.

We’ve created materials to help you in your journey to working with design professionals. Some of the most helpful items include sample email templates, FAQs, and A Designer’s Guide to Common Tech Terms.

How to Market to Trade Partners

Wednesday, Sept. 28 | 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Room: D 171

Jessica Weiss, Director of Marketing & Strategic Partnerships, One Firefly

Many integrators are already leveraging their relationships with the design community, gaining a consistent flow of referrals that are driving their continued growth. In this course, One Firefly will provide some powerful techniques on how to successfully market and engage with trade partners including custom builders, interior designers and architects. We break down small actionable steps your business can take to improve your online presence along with more advanced techniques to network and host CEDIA Outreach Instructor (COI) training events.

Wellness in the Home – A Technology Insight

Wednesday, Sept. 28 | 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Room: D 171

Michelle Guss, Vice President, Hospitality, West Resi Sales, Crestron Electronics; Kelly Eager, Senior Vice President, Delos

With most of us spending over 90% of our time indoors and with the recent COVID-19 pandemic changing the landscape to “work from home” the demands for our homes to now provide improved health and wellbeing are growing exponentially. This session will examine the value propositions that are critical to this expanding segment of our industry and provide proven scientific evidence that underpins the values of smart tech solutions for Health & Wellness.

With an open-ecosystem OS, integrators can provide a true wellness “platform” for the home, one that bridges the gaps in technologies such as using tunable lighting to maintain circadian cycles indoors, advanced air remediation to improve the quality of air and shading to bring you closer to nature, we will explore this great new opportunity and how it can be brought together to provide a full wellness solution.

The Integrator of 2027: Future Opportunities. A CEDIA Technology Council Workshop

Thursday, Sept. 29 | 10 a.m. – noon | Room: D 162

Rich Green, Founder, Rich Green Design; Peter Aylett, Partner, Officina Acustica

Written by members of CEDA’s Technology Advisory Council, the recently released Integrator of 2027 White Paper describes and discusses a vision for how integrators need to evolve away from a product-based mindset, and towards a human-centered one that embraces design as the core of the business. Facilitated by Peter Aylett who will be joined by other members of CEDIA’s Technology Advisory Council, this intensively interactive workshop will expand upon the IO27 White Paper with discussions around consumer, policy, technology and business process trends that will help attendees consider the evolution of their companies to embrace new opportunities over the next five years.

This course is suitable for integrators, distributors, reps, manufacturers, consultants and anyone who wants to deeply consider what the next five years will bring to our industry.

Why the CI Channel Is Primed for Wellness & the Healthy Home Market

Friday, Sept. 30 | 9 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. | D 171

Michael Don Ham, President, RePure

A recent study showed that over 80 percent of home buyers and homeowners of all age groups reported they would pay more for a healthier home. This presentation aims to help custom integrators explore the intersection of science, wellness, and technology to create healthy homes for their clients that will meet the needs of all family members. We will touch on how to bridge the gap between technology and wellness design and show how technology provides improved health while illuminating your work.

This learning module includes topics such as:

• -Current state of the wellness market
• -What constitutes a healthy home?
• -What in the home falls under the umbrella of “wellness” and its related technologies?
• -Examples of how custom integrators are incorporating wellness into their projects
• -How to start the wellness conversation with your clients

Health and Well-Being Strategies for Residential: WELL as a People-First Driver for Better Homes

Friday, Sept. 30 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | D 167

Kelsey Mullen, WELL Homes Lead, Lead Speaker, International WELL Building Institute

Architect Zaha Hadid once said, “Architecture is really about well-being. On the one hand it’s about shelter, but it’s also about pleasure. I think that people want to feel good in a space.” Hadid was a pioneer in her work and this sentiment reflects today’s shift towards better building. In this session, explore how physical and social environments affect human health and well-being and how these strategies can be implemented in residential properties and what role technology can play.

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