Issue Focus Commercial Crossover

By Jeremy Glowacki

The commercial technology integration market is not back to what it was pre-pandemic and might never be the same, but there are some great opportunities available for residential companies wanting to crossover into commercial. When companies come back into their offices and figure out a new plan for completely in person, or hybrid work, there will be plenty of openings for tech professional expertise. And, the construction industry’s continued focus on building new multi-dwelling unit (MDU) housing is also creating commercial crossover potential.

CEDIA’s senior director of strategic partnerships, Ian Bryant, has a lot of experience balancing residential and commercial AV in his prior career as a custom integrator. These days, in his role with the leading residential tech trade association, he still keeps a close eye on the market opportunities and challenges facing his former peers.

Bryant has noticed commercial projects ramping back up with many new opportunities. “Hands-free automated systems in conference rooms, huddle spaces, and meeting rooms are the hot trend, and companies that had these spaces with no tech are having to add it in,” he noted. “With the reported average of one in four people working remotely or in a hybrid environment, the reliance on tech to connect the workforce is greater than ever before.”

That being said, residential tech integrators venturing into commercial for the first time will want to keep in mind both business and technology differences between the markets. For example, it is very common in the commercial space to bid on projects with other integrators, and also to base bids/proposals on a predetermined system design or request for proposal (RFP) document. Bryant says that integrators should document everything internally for reference, have a process for providing change orders, and track the locations and time on site of all employees.

When it comes to tech differences between residential and commercial, 70v speaker systems are one area that may require new knowledge for home-centric integrators facing these wiring configurations and power tap settings for the first time. But the biggest difference, Bryant believes, involves learning about audio and video conferencing systems.

“Most conference rooms, boardrooms, meeting rooms, and huddle spaces will have some level of video conferencing and sound processing systems,” he said. “The larger the space the more complex these become. I recommend getting some foundational training on conferencing system design and then attend manufacturer product specific training.”

Bryant added that in most medium/large and some small commercial environments, integrators won’t have control over the network. That’s why having the ability to work directly with an IT department and understanding these complex networks is essential.

“Even though you won’t be configuring the network, I recommend having someone on staff that has more advanced training to be able to speak intelligently with the IT department,” Bryant added. “I also always recommend having meetings with the IT team well in advance to coming on site to commission a system. Lastly, don’t assume you can setup a wireless network inside a commercial environment on your own, you might need to get permission.”

As for actual tech available for commercial crossover, here is just a sampling of some of the products that you might want to consider for these types of projects. level? The Auton Dream Machine is the only lift solution that can hide a flat panel as large as 80 inches discreetly under a bed. After the display glides out from beneath the bed, select Dream Machine models can fully swivel 360 degrees for viewing anywhere in the room. It works for almost any size bedroom and bed frame.

An ideal solution for MDU installs, the Beale Street Audio Sonic Vortex is a patented technology designed to ensure that music is completely contained within the speaker enclosure and brought in the room. There is no resonance bleed from the back of the speaker.

Available in single- and dual-monitor configurations, Chief Koncīs Series monitor arm mounts combine sleek aesthetics with advanced functionality to ensure optimal productivity in the home or commercial office.

For effortless monitor tilting, the units feature patented Centris Extreme Tilt technology with +65 degrees to -10 degrees of fingertip tilt adjustment.

Hunter Douglas PowerView Automation provides the same motorized window shades flexibility in the residential and commercial environments with the option to control through a remote, the PowerViewApp or as part of an overall integrated system. These solutions can be applied across spaces from homes to professional offices and everything in between.

The Just Add Power VBS-HDIP-737POE 3G Warp Engine Transmitter/Receiver allows any video wall to be warped at any angle from 0 to 359.9 degrees in designs with mixed and matched display models mounted at any given angle. This capability is brought to any Just Add Power Ultra HD over IP system via a simple 1-RU add-on device in the rack.

The Luxul 48 PoE+ SW-510-48P-F; 24 PoE+ SW-610-24P-R; and 48 PoE+ SW-610-48P-F are three new additions to the company’s portfolio of managed L2/L3 Gigabit switches for large residential and commercial networks. They are packed with features for simple network expansion and management, while offering high performance with fast switching capacities of 104 Gbps, 128 Gbps, and 176 Gbps, respectively.

The Middle Atlantic BGR Series floorstanding equipment enclosure is designed specifically to solve AV integration and servicing challenges. Its patented design provides more strength without extra weight, resulting in a UL-certified solution that can be loaded with up to 3,000lbs of equipment.

Available in 9-inch and 17-inch form factors, On-Q dual-purpose In-Wall Enclosures can be used to house cable boxes, streaming players, and more behind a TV, or as a Wi-Fi transparent enclosure for structured wiring, providing a centralized area to store video, voice, and data components.

The Planar HB Series Huddle Board features a highly responsive touch performance to recognize up to 20 simultaneous touch points from multiple users and an included stylus to accurately capture even the smallest of characters. It also includes embedded tools tailored to in-room and remote unified communication.

The performance and aesthetics bar in commercial audio has been so low for so long, but it doesn’t have to be, thanks to Theory Audio Design. Theory’s mission is to bring high-end sound into high-end commercial spaces, with a small selection of highly capable products. Those who want it can finally have big, dynamic, high-quality sound from sleek enclosures, whether it’s in-wall, in-ceiling, onwall, or pendant mounted – indoors and out.

The Yamaha Unified Communications Enterprise ESB-1090 sound bar solves common challenges and limitations in sound output to create a rich, premium audio experience for remote conferencing, classrooms, and hotel guest rooms, lobbies, or meeting rooms. Optimizing the audio for each of these environments, the ESB-1090 features three modes, allowing users to opt between Conference, Education, and Hotel. x