wholehome

Wholehome, sometimes written as whole-home or "wholehome" in branding, is an integrated approach to designing, deploying, and managing the systems that serve a residence as a single, cohesive ecosystem rather than as separate, isolated installations. The goal is interoperability across devices and subsystems—such as heating, ventilation, cooling, lighting, security, and networking—under centralized control and standardized communication protocols.

Typical components include a central control hub or software platform, smart meters, thermostats, lighting controllers, HVAC systems, water heaters, security sensors and cameras, and a mesh network for connectivity. Data from sensors and devices can be used for occupancy-based automation, energy management, and preventive maintenance, with privacy and security considerations.

Benefits include improved energy efficiency, reduced operating costs, enhanced comfort and convenience, and easier upgrades via a common platform. Potential challenges include higher upfront cost, complexity of integration, and dependency on platform vendors or ecosystems, which can lead to compatibility issues if devices use different standards or stop receiving support.

The concept has grown alongside home automation and smart grid initiatives, with trends like Matter and other universal standards aiming to improve interoperability among devices from different manufacturers. Wholehome deployments vary in scale from single-dwelling residences to multi-tenant buildings, and may be implemented by homeowners, installers, or energy service providers.