A confluence of both opportunities (energy management, mobile technologies) and challenges (depressed home construction, reduced consumer spending) keeps pushing installation companies into market segments in which they’ve never gone before. One result is that more security dealers are seeking sales of residential systems that go beyond traditional security, especially those targeted for the existing home market.

Traditionally, security dealers and electronic systems contractors (ESCs) have operated in different circles, and there hasn’t been much cross-selling of systems that are germane to each industry.