5 Smart Upgrades for New Builds in 2026

Why Smart Upgrades Matter in New Construction

Building a new home in Oklahoma gives you a unique opportunity that existing homeowners don’t have: the chance to integrate smart technology from the ground up. Instead of retrofitting systems later at higher costs, you can build intelligence into your home’s DNA from day one.

As someone who works with builders and homeowners across the OKC metro, I’ve seen how the right smart upgrades can transform both the construction process and the final living experience. CES 2026 made one thing clear: the smart home is getting less annoying and a lot more automated, which means now is the perfect time to get these systems right.

1. Intelligent Climate Control with Indoor Air Quality

Oklahoma’s extreme weather swings make climate control essential. Traditional thermostats simply can’t keep up with our blazing summers and unpredictable spring storms.

Ecobee and Nest smart thermostats include built-in indoor air quality monitors, sensors for natural heating/cooling, humidity tracking, schedules, and adaptive ECO options. Ecobee SmartSensor thermostats monitor occupancy in rooms and adjust temperature for comfort and energy savings.

What makes this upgrade essential for new builds is proper integration with your HVAC system from the start. When your builder includes:

• Temperature sensors in key rooms
• Humidity monitoring throughout the home
• Integration with your ventilation system
• Automated scheduling based on occupancy patterns

You’ll see immediate energy savings and improved comfort that traditional systems simply cannot match. In Oklahoma’s climate, this often pays for itself within the first year through reduced utility bills.

2. High-Performance Networking Infrastructure

Most builders still treat networking as an afterthought. They’ll run basic Cat6 to a few rooms and call it done. This approach fails spectacularly with modern smart homes.

High-performance networks with hardwired connections and multiple access points are essential for supporting cameras, streaming, and smart thermostats in large properties.

For new construction, this means:

• Cat6A wiring to every room (not just “tech rooms”)
• Central networking closet with proper ventilation
• PoE (Power over Ethernet) capability for cameras and access points
• Conduit runs for future fiber upgrades
• Multiple access point locations pre-planned

Our enterprise networking approach ensures your home can handle whatever technology comes next. Whether it’s 8K streaming, VR gaming, or the next generation of smart devices, your network won’t be the bottleneck.

3. Unified Automation Control System

This is where most smart homes fall apart: too many apps, too many protocols, too much complexity. One app for lights, another for climate, a third for cameras, and suddenly your “smart” home feels like a part-time IT job.

Unified control systems integrate lighting, climate control, entertainment, shading, and more, accessible via smartphone, in-wall touch-screen, or remote. According to the experts at Acoustic Design Systems: “The real magic happens when all of your systems work together seamlessly”.

This is exactly why we focus on Home Assistant integration at Leios Consulting. Unlike proprietary systems that lock you into monthly fees, Home Assistant provides:

• Single interface for all smart devices
• Local control (no internet required)
• No subscription fees ever
• Integration with virtually any smart device
• Advanced automation capabilities

For new builds, this means pre-wiring for smart switches, planning automation scenarios, and ensuring your network can handle centralized control.

4. Intelligent Lighting and Shade Automation

Lighting automation has evolved far beyond simple on/off scheduling. Modern systems understand natural light patterns, occupancy, and energy optimization.

Intelligent lighting automation with tunable linear lighting, motorized shades, sunlight sensors, and solar position calculations adjusts lights and shades to save energy by blocking summer heat gain and allowing winter sunlight.

Philips Hue White and Color Smart Bulbs mimic natural sunlight rhythms, with customizable color, brightness, voice assistant integration, and sleep regulation benefits.

For Oklahoma homes, this intelligence is particularly valuable:

• Summer cooling: Automated shades block afternoon sun on west-facing windows
• Winter warming: Shades open during sunny winter days to reduce heating costs
• Circadian lighting: Color temperature adjusts throughout the day for better sleep
• Occupancy awareness: Lights adjust based on room usage, not rigid schedules

The key for new construction is installing smart switches rather than smart bulbs wherever possible. This provides better reliability, lower long-term costs, and works with any bulb type.

5. Advanced Presence Detection and Environmental Monitoring

Traditional motion sensors miss a lot. They can’t detect someone sitting still, they trigger falsely from pets, and they don’t understand the difference between someone passing through and actually using a space.

CES 2026 highlighted mmWave presence sensing that replaces motion sensors and detects still occupants. This technology provides more accurate presence detection even when users are motionless.

Combined with environmental monitoring, this creates truly intelligent automation:

• Smart dehumidifiers from TCL and GE auto-adjust humidity levels via Alexa or Google Assistant to prevent mold
• Air quality sensors that automatically adjust ventilation
• Water leak sensors with automatic shutoff capabilities
• Indoor/outdoor temperature differential monitoring

For new builds, this means planning sensor locations during construction, running low-voltage wiring for hardwired sensors, and integrating with your HVAC and plumbing systems.

Planning Your Smart Home Integration

The key to successful smart home integration in new construction is planning these systems together, not as separate afterthoughts. Each upgrade works better when it can communicate and coordinate with the others.

Smart home tech is no longer just about entertainment and convenience. It’s evolving to enhance your health and quality of life.

At Leios Consulting, we work with builders and homeowners across Oklahoma to integrate these systems properly from the start. Our no-subscription smart home approach means you get all the benefits of advanced automation without the ongoing monthly fees that plague most smart home systems.

If you’re a builder looking to differentiate your homes with smart technology, check out our builder partnership program for pre-wire packages and volume pricing. For homeowners building new in Oklahoma, book a free consultation with our team and we’ll help you plan the right integration for your specific needs and budget.