Built-in High-Tech

In the murky past, new homes were built with only two wiring systems, one for electricity and one for phone service. Modern life demands more. "The combined growth of personal home computers, consumer electronics, entertainment systems and home security products—not to mention the dynamic evolution of the technology behind them—has prompted builders to increasingly offer wiring schemes that enable whole-house communications, data and audio-visual sharing and other features," says Jeff Carpenter, president of Monticello Homes, a local building firm specializing in high-end custom properties.

Typically consisting of a combination of high-tech Category 5 wiring and coaxial cable, so-called "structured" or advanced wiring schemes allow homeowners to customize their use of technology to meet their individual needs. According to the National Association of Home Builders, 34 percent of homebuilders now offer structured wiring packages as standard or optional amenities. Fiber-optic cable is also available, but its installation is more difficult and expensive. (Bill Gates's $30-million Seattle home reportedly has miles of fiber-optic cable. Guests receive computer chips on entering that control lights, temperature and other settings as they move through the sprawling complex.)

When plans for a new luxury home include structured wiring, many different built-in home automation technologies become possible.

The gamut runs from a fairly simple security system that will alert you via your computer at work should something be amiss back at home, to complete home-automation systems that seamlessly integrate home-entertainment systems, indoor and outdoor lighting, appliances, lawn sprinkler systems, climate control systems and Internet access points.