Calgary's condo market may be mired in a bit of a slump, but developers are still finding ways to make their latest offerings stand out.

This is what Ocgrow Group of Companies has done with SOLA, the company's new development in inner-city Kensington that will boast 172 condo units – all equipped with smart-home automation.

Choosing a home security system can seem daunting. There are as many different options to protect your property as there are styles of home construction.

The advent of integrated smart homes mean that DIY setups are increasingly common, leading professional services to expand their features and lower their prices. Modern security systems don't just monitor for break-ins, either – many systems contain a variety of sensors that can detect everything from a carbon monoxide leak to a flood in the basement.

Smart and green technologies recently considered luxuries are becoming increasingly important to Calgary homebuyers, and the city's homebuilders have taken this to heart.

Smart home technologies provide a quick and simple solution for a range of tasks. But is this trade-off for a snap-of-the-fingers convenience creating a strain elsewhere?

Security vulnerabilities within some devices, or at least the way in which they are set up, may be keeping the door ajar, allowing access for cyber criminals.

How to control almost everything in your home with your phone

Want to have the coolest home on the block? Then fill it with all the latest smart home devices.

"A lot of people are familiar with smart home, and they have bits and pieces of it, but are looking at expanding," said Steven Toews, general manager of Best Buy's Deerfoot Meadows location.

According to Toews, smart lighting is the top-selling smart home category.

Choosing the best high-efficiency water heater

A typical hot water heater accounts for about one-fifth of the energy used in most Canadian homes.

Choosing the right hot water heater, therefore, can have a huge impact both financially and environmentally – especially as energy prices and carbon levies continue to rise.

Many of us still choose conventional, gas-fired hot water tanks because they're cheapest – but are they really? The initial price of your hot water heater can represent as little as 12 per cent of the overall cost over its lifespan. The other 88 per cent is energy.