The best smart home innovations promise not only to make users’ lives easier, but to make their homes greener. At Infratech, our commitment to energy efficiency and eco-friendly heating led us to promote smart home integration early on. While this technology continues to evolve, a wide variety of companies are working to create homes that are better connected, where communication between devices occurs wirelessly, all controlled by the homeowner’s smart phone or tablet. This week, a host of new innovations in smart home technology were unveiled when International CES, one of the world’s biggest consumer electronics shows, took over the Las Vegas Convention Center. Dozens of exhibitors at the forefront of the emerging smart home tech industry introduced new home automation products that give a fascinating glimpse into the very near future. Here’s a look at some of the most exciting smart products at CES.

Last month Infratech welcomed a new Director of Sales, David Arnold, to our headquarters in Southern California. Over the past year we have worked side-by-side with David on a consulting basis to implement customer surveys, create instructional materials, formulate strategies for training our customer segments and to refine our company values and train our staff accordingly.

Remodeling a room or building a new space takes a lot of time, energy, and thought. Technology will never replace the creative process of design, but fortunately it can make it a whole lot easier. We’ve rounded up three of our favorite iPhone apps for architects and designers, whether you’ve misplaced your surface level or are trying to communicate a color scheme to clients.

At Infratech, we collaborate with leading architects, interior designers and engineers to provide low-profile, energy-efficient heating systems that blend seamlessly into a property’s décor. With their classic, understated style, our versatile black W-series heaters have long been best sellers among our clients. Now, in response to customer demand, we are pleased to announce the latest addition to our line of heating systems – the Infratech Slimline Shadow single element heater.

Joan Grabel’s unique, eco-conscious landscape designs have made her a favorite on HGTV and throughout Southern California. As the owner of award-winning Los Angeles-based landscaping firm Park Slope Design, Grabel uses her background as a visual artist to create appealing outdoor spaces that emphasize natural resources, energy efficient features, and drought tolerant plants.

Thanksgiving decorating – like dinner – is all about celebrating the bounty of the harvest season while still reflecting the holiday’s simple message. Simple pleasures like sweet, crisp apples, brightly-colored Indian corn, and changing leaves all signify that the crisp air of autumn will soon be replaced by the winter chill. Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving outdoors or simply looking to welcome your guests with some seasonal color, décor should be simple yet stunning. Best of all, these easy-to-make DIY outdoor decorating projects will help hosts top their tables, trim their windowsills and deck their doors without cutting too much into precious culinary prep time.  

Just because the weather is cooler doesn’t mean it’s time to store away the grill for winter. After all, it’s harvest time, when cooking focuses on some of the heartiest and headiest flavors found in nature. The smoky flavor of the grill brings out the natural sweetness of seasonal produce like pumpkins and pears, making the autumn grilling season one of the most satisfying and surprising. Whether you’re planning a small family gathering or giving outdoor entertaining one last hurrah, our fall BBQ menu celebrates the taste of the season by giving these traditional foods a new twist.

When builder Drew Smith founded in 2001, he was one of the first to recognize the importance of sustainable, environmentally-conscious building practices. Over a decade later, Smith is at the forefront of the industry, serving as the Green Building Commissioner for the State of Florida, founding the Florida Green Building Coalition, and helping countless commercial and residential builders conform to the LEED standards for certification.

This summer, Sunset magazine opened “the ultimate modern beach home,” a 4,500 square foot, four bedroom and 5 1/2 bathroom residence complete with drought-tolerant landscaping, “a no-mow lawn,” edible garden, swimming pool, and outdoor kitchen and living room. Sunset’s editors partnered with architects Tomaro Design Group, builders Mike Davis Custom Homes, and landscape designers Masterpeace Gardens to create the magazine’s first Los Angeles-area Idea House, which showcases sustainable building and architectural and design innovations.

With an equal focus on luxury and livability, Marc-Michaels Interior Design, Inc. has consistently been named one of Interior Design Magazine’s “Top 100 Interior Design Firms in the World.” When the National Association of Home Builders invited the design firm to work on the 2014 New American Home, the Boca Raton-based interior designers knew they wanted to create a space that would seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living. The palatial home, built in the foothills of Henderson, NV’s exclusive Sky Terrace housing development, is modern, elegant – and also on the cutting edge of energy efficiency. Marc-Michaels’ interiors emphasize the natural beauty of the mountainous landscape, while Infratech heaters blend into the design organically, subtly adding comfort to cold desert nights. We spoke with the elite design firm about how our heaters enhanced the home. Photo via The Wall Street Journal