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Recorded live from CEDIA Expo 2025, this two-part episode of Convo By Design explores how technology, design, and infrastructure are converging to reshape the way we live. From the evolving role of integrators to the growing importance of energy resilience, the conversation examines what it takes to design spaces that are intelligent, responsive, and future-ready. Featuring insights from EmeraldX’s Dan Farrisi and Rosewater Energy founder Joe Piccirilli, this episode connects strategy, storytelling, and engineering into a single, forward-looking narrative.

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Two conversations, one shared theme: the future of the built environment depends on collaboration, foresight, and systems thinking. From CEDIA Expo’s show floor to the electrical panel itself, this episode explores how design, technology, and infrastructure must evolve together.

This two-part episode of Convo By Design brings listeners inside CEDIA Expo 2025 for a wide-ranging discussion on where design, technology, and integration are headed—and why collaboration across disciplines has never been more important.

The first conversation features Dan Farrisi, Group Editor for EmeraldX, who joins the show from the show floor to discuss the evolving role of trade events and the growing convergence between design and integration. Farrisi explains how CEDIA has become more than a technology showcase—it’s now a critical meeting ground for designers, integrators, manufacturers, and educators navigating a rapidly changing industry.

He outlines how integrators are no longer simply installers but partners in shaping outcomes. As residential and commercial systems increasingly overlap, the conversation shifts toward experience design—how lighting, audio, controls, and infrastructure work together to support how people live, work, and interact. Farrisi also emphasizes the importance of storytelling, education, and advocacy in helping professionals communicate value in a crowded and often misunderstood marketplace.

The discussion then transitions to the second interview, featuring Joe Piccirilli, founder and CEO of Rosewater Energy. With a career spanning more than five decades—from building Sound Advice into a public company to founding AVAD and later Rosewater—Piccirilli brings a deeply technical and philosophical perspective to the conversation.

At the center of his work is a deceptively simple idea: most technology failures begin with power. Piccirilli explains how unreliable power, poor grounding, and inconsistent quality undermine even the most sophisticated systems. His solution, the Rosewater Hub, was developed to address these issues at the panel level—providing seamless backup, surge protection, and power conditioning in a single, engineered platform.

The conversation explores how energy resilience has become essential to modern living. From medical equipment and remote work to safe rooms and climate-related disruptions, power stability is no longer optional. Piccirilli explains how his engineering-first approach led to solutions designed not for convenience, but for certainty—systems that work when everything else fails.

Together, the two conversations form a complete picture of where the industry is heading. Farrisi frames the cultural and professional shift happening across design and integration, while Piccirilli provides the technical foundation required to support that shift. The result is a compelling look at how thoughtful design, reliable infrastructure, and interdisciplinary collaboration are shaping the next generation of built environments.

Part One: Dan Farrisi – CEDIA Expo & Industry Convergence

• First impressions from CEDIA Expo 2025
• Why trade shows still matter in a digital-first world
• EmeraldX’s role in connecting disciplines
• Integrators as experience partners, not installers
• Residential and commercial technology overlap
• Education, advocacy, and storytelling as industry drivers
• The future of collaboration between designers and technologists

Part Two: Joe Piccirilli – Engineering Resilience

• Early career and the founding of Sound Advice
• Lessons from entrepreneurship and distribution
• Discovering the real problem: power quality
• The engineering logic behind Rosewater Energy
• Panel-level energy management and backup systems
• Designing for medical, safety, and critical-use environments
• The role of resilience in future home design
• Why engineering thinking matters more than ever

Dan Farrisi, Group Editor for EmeraldX, joins Convo By Design from CEDIA Expo 2025 to share insights on the convergence of design, technology, and integration. He discusses the role of trade shows in shaping industry collaboration, the unique challenges integrators face, and the growing overlap between residential and commercial applications. Farrisi also explores why storytelling, education, and advocacy are critical to the future of connected experiences.

Recorded live at CEDIA Expo 2025, this episode highlights how the integration industry is evolving beyond technology into holistic experience design. Dan Farrisi explains EmeraldX’s role in connecting professionals across disciplines, the importance of dialogue between designers and integrators, and how new applications—from smart homes to immersive environments—are redefining the industry.

1. First Impressions at CEDIA 2025
   • Energy and innovation at the show floor.
   • Why CEDIA remains a barometer for industry health.

2. Role of EmeraldX

1. • How EmeraldX curates and amplifies industry conversations.
   • Trade shows as hubs for education, networking, and advocacy.

3. Integration Beyond Tech

1. • Moving from installer to outcome-driven partner.
   • Why integrators need to collaborate earlier in design projects.

4. Residential + Commercial Crossovers

1. • Lessons from commercial AV shaping residential expectations.
   • Case studies in immersive experiences and security applications.

5. Challenges & Opportunities

1. • Standards, interoperability, and client education.
   • The importance of storytelling in communicating value.

6. Looking Ahead

1. • The role of integrators in shaping future living spaces.
   • EmeraldX’s vision for connecting industries through shared dialogue.

Links & Resources

• EmeraldX → https://www.emeraldx.com/
• CEDIA Expo → https://cediaexpo.com/
• Convo By Design Podcast → https://convo-by-design.blubrry.net/