Abstract Information and communication technologies have transformed nearly every single item in our life. From automatic steering control systems and anti‐blocking breaks in our vehicles to keep us safe, to ubiquitous tools for accessing news, real‐time weather data, instant messaging, social media, and entertainment right in our hands. Yet, most of our homes—taken as buildings for human habitation—have remained essentially unchanged for the past decades. In this article, some of the technologies available today for upgrading our conventional homes are presented. Special emphasis is put on building automation technologies as an integration of ICT into our living environment, in order to increase our comfort and quality of life while at the same time, help us reduce our homes energy usage and environmental footprint.