imm cologne will showcase products, projects and real-time scenarios related to energy, security, lifestyle, convenience and entertainment, 15-21 January 2018.
Koelnmesse is emphasizing the importance of this emerging field that has been heralded as a growth market by presenting the third Smart Home installation at imm cologne 2018. “It will increasingly be a matter of course for different devices to be connected to, and communicate with, each other. The technological infrastructure is becoming more and more personally tailored to residents’ needs,” says Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse.
There can be no connected home living unless the industry is connected
Taking “Let’s be smart” as its slogan, imm cologne will showcase products, projects and real-time scenarios related to energy, security, lifestyle, convenience and entertainment. “The spectrum covered by the smart home is constantly expanding and becoming more and more complex. We will present the smart home’s current possibilities in a fully functional architect’s house alongside an architect’s smart office and a self-contained flat with a supportive environment provided by assisted living technologies, which allow the older generation to remain in their own homes until a very old age. But we’re also looking ahead to the future,” says Thomas Postert, Director at Koelnmesse.
Almost anything seems possible today, but genuinely outstanding examples of the technology in action are still a rare thing – even among professionals. To change this, the industry needs concepts that demonstrate how different providers can communicate and collaborate with each other. “We’ve seen that the smart home can only work if all those involved in it work closely together. Communication isn’t just crucial between the smart products themselves – the whole industry needs to network and agree on common standards and customer needs. We provide the perfect forum for this at imm cologne 2018.” In addition to the numerous example applications that visitors can touch and try out in the Smart Home installation, many consultants from the companies represented in the showcase will be on hand to answer questions from professionals and private individuals. The programme for the dedicated talks forum compiled by imm cologne is designed to stimulate a forward-looking and solutions-oriented debate, but also a critical discussion about the smart home’s opportunities and its stumbling blocks.
On the threshold of the mass market
Market researchers see the smart home as being on the threshold of penetrating the mass market. The market volume forecasts vary widely depending on the fields of application analysed. But there is agreement that dynamic and, in some cases surging, growth of between 10 and 50 per cent is to be expected, depending on the product area. The smart home generally refers to the intelligent networking of electrical appliances in the home including building services – heating, ventilation, air conditioning, cooling and sanitary installations – as well as communications and security technology. Consumers are currently most interested in security and energy-saving concepts. The smart home can be controlled in the residence itself via built-in interfaces or on the go via a smartphone or tablet for convenience. Self-learning devices – devices that adapt to their owners’ usage habits – will increasingly dominate the market.
imm cologne provides an orientation for the analogue and the digital
“With the ‘Let’s be smart’ seal of quality, we want to help users orient themselves in the growing range of smart home products,” says Thomas Postert. He adds that imm cologne will be open to the public at the weekend, when consumers are welcome to view the exhibits for themselves. To accompany the walk-in Smart Home installation at the interiors show, interested companies and individuals can find further information on the letsbesmart.de platform. During imm cologne itself (14–25 January 2018), there will be a tour of the latest three-dimensional Smart Home installation. The guided tour will be directly linked to relevant products and brands. The interiors show also cooperates closely with the Connected Living innovation centre, which provides its more than 60 members with a cross-industry network of partners.
With the Smart Home installation, imm cologne is underlining its claim to represent the whole spectrum of interior design. Koelnmesse sees products for living in the digital world as an integral part of this. This not only includes applications such as automated security and climate control and enhanced comfort in the home: “Just as people are embedded in the social and political world through digital communication, home living itself is increasingly connected to the outside world,” predicts Dick Spierenburg. “The extent to which this happens will be a personal decision.” The Creative Director of imm cologne moves full circle as he outlines the trade fair’s future direction: “And for that reason, imm cologne will always show both sides of the coin: the analogue and the digital worlds of home living.”Koelnmesse – Global Competence in Furniture, Interiors and Design: Koelnmesse is the world’s top trade fair organiser for the areas of furnishing, living and lifestyle. At the trade fair hub of Cologne, the leading international fair imm cologne as well as the trade fair formats of LivingKitchen, ORGATEC, spoga+gafa, interzum and Kind + Jugend rank among the internationally renowned and established industry meeting places. These fairs comprehensively represent the upholstered and case furniture segment, the kitchen industry, the office furniture sector and outdoor living as well as the innovations of the furniture supply industry. Over the last few years, Koelnmesse has specifically added international fairs in the most important fast-expanding markets to its portfolio. These include the LivingKitchen China/CIKB in Shanghai, interzum guangzhou in Guangzhou and Pueri Expo in Sao Paulo. With ambista, the network of the interior decorating industry, Koelnmesse offers direct access to relevant products, contacts, competence and events.
Discover interior ideas through imm cologne
Cologne is the perfect place to start the new season: imm cologne provides crucial momentum for a successful 2018 with its unique combination of the latest trends, highly sought-after design and international business opportunities.
Cologne is the only city where you can experience the global interior design market live in one place: Innovative furniture, visionary interior design concepts and the finest solutions for bathrooms, floorings and lighting await you.
More than 1,200 exhibitors from around 50 countries will be in Cologne to present their new collections, market-ready products and concepts. The big names will be represented at the event as well as exciting newcomers and premium designers.
You can also discover the state of the art in e-commerce at imm cologne with the new “smart” format TOUCH by IMM — an additional new format that focuses on the digital relationship between information and purchase. Successful speakers will present exclusive best practice cases from the online furniture trade at the 5th imm cologne Congress.
Trendsetting designers and experts appearing in the event program will offer insights into the design of future living spaces and the latest developments in forms, materials and colors.
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