Mike Conway

Outdoor living is no longer a seasonal add-on. 65% of new homes built in 2024 included an outdoor living structure, up from 48% in 2019, and the U.S. outdoor living market is on track to nearly double over the next decade. The spending is already happening. The trend is already here. 

What hasn't kept pace is the integrator's role in it. Outdoor automation is one of the fastest-growing categories in residential integration and one of the least consistently owned by integrators. Structure, enclosure, comfort, and control are typically sold as separate products by separate trades. The client gets a fragmented experience, and everyone leaves money on the table. 

This panel puts all four disciplines on one stage: structure (StruXure), enclosure (Progressive Screens), comfort (Infratech), and control (Bond). Together they'll show you what a truly cohesive outdoor living system looks like, how to spec it, how to sell it, and how to position yourself as the professional who owns the conversation from day one. You'll leave with a clear system brief you can bring to your next outdoor project, and a playbook for getting to the table before the structure is even chosen. 

Key takeaways: 

• Outdoor living is one of the fastest-growing segments in residential construction. Integrators without an outdoor practice are leaving significant scope and margin behind. 

• Structure, enclosure, comfort, and control must be coordinated from day one. Decisions at the structure and screen level directly shape what's possible in the automation and comfort layers. 

• Sensors separate a motorized space from a smart one. Wind, rain, temperature, and UV inputs let the system respond to the environment in real time. 

• Season extension is your strongest sales argument. A well-integrated system adds 3 to 4 months of usable time, a value end-users recognize immediately. 

• The integrator's job is to lead the outdoor conversation. Builders and landscape architects are already in the room. Get to the table earlier, own the system brief, and use trade partnerships to expand your pipeline without adding marketing spend.