Back in the late 1980s when I first started working for an HVACR magazine, we heard a lot about the coming of “the smart house” where all systems and equipment within a home could be integrated and controlled.
But the problem back then was a lack of so-called “smart” devices and systems. Most appliances, including HVACR systems and thermostats, were largely on-off devices, and the means of connecting and communicating between them was pretty rudimentary. Also, the price for installing such systems was prohibitive for the average consumer and no one could figure out what could be gained by having the ability to communicate with, for example, a washing machine.