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.
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.
First Impressions at CEDIA 2025
Energy and innovation at the show floor.
Why CEDIA remains a barometer for industry health.
Role of EmeraldX
How EmeraldX curates and amplifies industry conversations.
Trade shows as hubs for education, networking, and advocacy.
Integration Beyond Tech
Moving from installer to outcome-driven partner.
Why integrators need to collaborate earlier in design projects.
Residential + Commercial Crossovers
Lessons from commercial AV shaping residential expectations.
Case studies in immersive experiences and security applications.
Challenges & Opportunities
Standards, interoperability, and client education.
The importance of storytelling in communicating value.
Looking Ahead
The role of integrators in shaping future living spaces.
EmeraldX’s vision for connecting industries through shared dialogue.
This week on the show, you’re going to ride along with me from the incredibly comfortable and stylish VW ID.Buzz, which served as the mobile podcast studio at CEDIA Expo / CIX this September in Denver, Colorado. This is part two of The Ride Along Series recorded live at CEDIA Expo/ CIX.
CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) is the global trade association for home technology professionals, specializing in smart home, automation, audio-visual, networking, and integrated systems. Its mission is to advance the home technology industry through education, certification, advocacy, and networking. Members include integrators, designers, manufacturers, and consultants who shape the connected environments we live and work in.
CEDIA Expo is the industry’s largest annual event for residential technology professionals. With hundreds of exhibitors, educational sessions, live demos, and global networking opportunities, it’s where new ideas and innovations in smart home and AV integration take center stage.
The Commercial Integrator Expo (CIX), co-located with CEDIA Expo, focuses on commercial integration technologies—from conferencing and IT infrastructure to building automation and emerging AV solutions—bringing together commercial integrators, IT pros, designers, and tech managers.
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This road trip was a blast, and I’m excited to share these conversations with you.
Designing Sound: Caitlin Stewart on Leon Speakers’ Mission to Lead by Design
Caitlin Stewart of Leon Speakers joins Convo By Design to talk about design-first thinking in an audio-driven world. From Ann Arbor to the global design stage, Leon Speakers has carved out a unique identity—not as a technology company, but as a design company that happens to make exceptional audio and concealment solutions. Caitlin shares how Leon engages the architecture and design community, cultivates relevance in a shifting industry, and builds partnerships that challenge conventions of form, function, and beauty.
Background & Role: Caitlin’s work as Director of Sales for residential at Leon Speakers, leading account managers and shaping residential market growth.
Leon’s Identity: Founded in 1997, Leon is entering its 30th year as a design-first company—blending sound, aesthetics, and concealment with creativity.
Design Integration: How Leon’s “Lead by Design, Leave Nothing Unfinished” philosophy drives the balance of form and function.
Relevance in the Industry: Shifting influence from general contractors to architects and designers, and Leon’s effort to stay essential in conversations that shape environments.
Inspiration & Missed Opportunities: Why designers need exposure to products at shows like CEDIA and ICFF, and the challenges of communicating AV in relevant, non-technical language.
Partnership with A&D Community: Meeting designers where they are, co-designing products, and listening to their needs around fixtures, finishes, and materiality.
Industry Challenges: Designers often photoshop out tech in portfolio images—highlighting the need for intentional, beautiful integration of AV.
Educational Outreach: Designer visits to Leon’s Ann Arbor factory, engaging directly with materiality and finishes to bridge the language gap.
Innovation at Leon: Hand-woven acoustic treatments, creative concealment solutions, evolving product frames for video walls, and form-function collaboration.
Partnership Opportunities: Caitlin’s advice to designers—start casual, share ideas, reach out. Leon thrives on nimble, creative collaborations that spark innovation.
Lighting the Future: Tyler Hahn on Lutron, Designers, and the Evolving Spec Community
Tyler Hahn of Market Share, Pacific Northwest reps for Lutron, joins Convo By Design to share his perspective on CEDIA Expo, the shifting role of the specification community, and how Lutron continues to set the standard in lighting control and automated shading. As Lutron Concierge, Tyler educates and inspires architects, designers, and builders about intelligent lighting and shading solutions. From his unique role at CEDIA Expo—focusing on education, content, and networking—Tyler reflects on industry trends, the growing presence of women in tech and design, and how Lutron bridges aesthetic demands with uncompromising performance.
Background & Role: Tyler Hahn’s position as Lutron Concierge with Market Share, focusing on education, inspiration, and building connections with the architecture and design community.
Experience at CEDIA Expo: How Tyler approaches the show differently—capturing social content, attending classes, and networking to understand community conversations.
Shifts in the Industry: Why more interior designers and specifiers need to be present at CEDIA, and how manufacturers must adapt booth design and product presentation for aesthetics and inclusivity.
Women in the Industry: Record-breaking turnout at the Women in CEDIA Luncheon, signaling cultural and demographic changes in the channel.
Catch-22 of Design Engagement: The challenge of attracting designers to CEDIA when booths and products still cater heavily to integrator and male-centric perspectives.
Lutron’s Role: How Lutron recognizes the specification community as a critical link to homeowners, shaping why Tyler’s role exists.
Communicating with Architects vs. Designers:
Architects: Focus on structural considerations, such as pockets for shades and keypad placement in plans.
Interior Designers: Start with aesthetics, then introduce education on zone vs. scene control, finishes, and stylistic options.
Product Focus: Lutron’s leadership in automated window treatments, ultra-quiet shade technology, keypad design, and extensive finish options.
Testing & Reliability: Military-grade product testing at Lutron headquarters in Coopersburg, PA—including sound chambers, stress tests, and automated button pressing machines.
Design Aesthetics: Four primary keypad styles with an extensive range of finishes in metal, glass, engineered polymer, and beyond—providing universality across project types.
Engaging Landscape Architects: Market Share’s expansion into representing Coastal Source and introducing lighting/shading solutions into landscape design.
Universal Takeaway: The importance of bridging language gaps, presenting products aesthetically, and meeting design professionals where they are.
Designing with Light: Gina Colucci on Translating Technology for Designers
Gina Colucci of Market Share joins Convo By Design to discuss her role as a Lutron concierge, bridging the gap between high-performance technology and design-first thinking. From CEDIA Expo 2025, Gina shares insights on the growing role of lighting in the industry, how Lutron simplifies control for homeowners, and why being a “translator” between specifiers and integrators is the key to building trust. She explains how Lutron elevates both form and function while making advanced technology approachable for architects, designers, and builders alike.
Background & Role: Gina’s position with Market Share as a Lutron concierge and specification specialist, focusing on direct engagement with architects, designers, custom builders, and lighting designers.
Experience at CEDIA Expo 2025: Gina’s third year at the show, where she noticed a shift in emphasis from specs and hardware to aesthetic, experience, and lifestyle-driven solutions.
Lighting’s Growing Role: The rise of intelligent lighting solutions and how Lutron is pushing beyond niche status toward mainstream adoption.
Simplifying Lighting Control for Homeowners: Explaining benefits through experience rather than complexity—eliminating “wall acne,” offering one-touch keypads, zone vs. scene control, remote access, and intuitive app options.
Breaking Through Objections: Why homeowners don’t need to program or “learn tech”—Lutron integrates seamlessly through the CI channel, with integrators tailoring solutions to client lifestyles.
Specifiers vs. Integrators:
Integrators: Hands-on, technical, eager to dig into systems.
Specifiers (designers, architects): Billable hours, busy schedules, and competing demands—requiring clarity, brevity, and tailored communication.
The Translator Role: Gina’s unique ability to reformulate technical content into designer-friendly language, meeting specifiers where they are without overwhelming them with jargon.
Building Trust: Why approachable relationships, mobile demo kits, timely support, and honest answers (including knowing when to call in an expert) are essential to long-term partnerships.
Market Share Approach: Supporting specifiers with the right tools, resources, and responsiveness—without overloading them.
Personal Perspective: Gina’s background outside of tech makes her relatable to designers, allowing her to speak their language while still leveraging the strength of Lutron’s trusted brand.
Staying Ahead: Julian Cross on Integration, Innovation, and the Power of Simplicity
Julian Cross of Winnipeg-based integration firm shares how his journey from electrician to full integrator has reshaped his business and outlook on technology. From CEDIA Expo 2025, Julian explains how he balances product discovery with client-focused service, why keeping systems simple is key, and what he hopes to see from manufacturers as the industry grows. With insights on AI, product expansion, and evolving client expectations, Julian offers a grounded perspective on integration today.
Background & Evolution:
Started as an electrician in 2006.
Entered integration in 2019 through Lutron, which transformed the business into a full integrator.
Approach to CEDIA Expo:
Day one: scheduled meetings with sales partners.
Day two: free-flow exploration for new products and inspiration.
Day three: follow-up and wrap-up.
Balances structured planning with open discovery to maximize value.
Why Shows Matter: Staying ahead of trends, accessing inside scoop from technical experts, and ensuring clients in Winnipeg receive cutting-edge solutions that differentiate his firm from others.
Product Trends & Discoveries:
Strong presence of AI across categories.
More expansion of existing product lines rather than entirely new ones—a positive sign of refinement and usability.
Enhancements make it easier to integrate new features into client systems without starting from scratch.
Client Priorities:
Clients aren’t asking for specific products; they want simplicity and consistency.
Key is learning client habits, past experiences, and frustrations to design systems tailored to their expectations.
Language of Integration: Clients rely on integrators to translate industry jargon into usable, intuitive systems. Julian emphasizes ongoing education through forums, industry feedback, and active exploration of alternate products.
Keeping It Simple:
Pushes back against product overload and SKU bloat.
Advocates for manufacturers to refine and strengthen existing lines instead of flooding the market with new SKUs.
Believes the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid) is still critical in integration.
Education vs. Experience:
Attended classes at his first CEDIA, but realized the show floor offered greater value.
Prefers hands-on product interaction and conversations with technical reps.
Wish List for CEDIA & Industry:
Maintain focus on refining core product lines.
More emphasis on addressing integrator pain points before releasing new gear.
And, humorously—more coffee stations.
Cinergy Spaces: Redefining Acoustics, Safe Rooms, and Specialty Living
Acoustics and security go far beyond home theaters. Eric Steers of Cinergy Spaces shares how specialty spaces are reshaping modern living. From theaters to libraries, safe rooms to yoga studios, Cinergy Spaces blends acoustical expertise with functional security design. Head of Operations Eric Steers explains how integrators, designers, and security consultants collaborate to create spaces that balance technology, wellness, and peace of mind.
Guest: Eric Steers, Head of Operations / National Project Manager, Cinergy Spaces
Company profile: LA-based, nationwide specialty integrator focusing on acoustics and secure environments
Eric’s background: Irish-born, based in New York, extending Cinergy’s East Coast presence
Specialty Spaces & Acoustics
Origins in home theaters, now expanded into recording studios, gyms, libraries, and whole-home acoustical wellness
Role of acoustics in multifunctional living spaces
Collaboration with AV integrators to optimize sound isolation, projection enclosures, and HVAC integration
Integration with Designers and Trades
Working alongside interior designers, GCs, and acousticians
Bridging the gap between design goals (high ceilings, hard surfaces) and acoustical performance
Using creative materials like acoustical plaster to maintain aesthetics without sacrificing sound quality
The Evolution of Safe Rooms
Transition from acoustical doors to secure environments
Most safe rooms are hidden in plain sight: closets, bathrooms, master suites
Balancing cutting-edge tech (retina scanners, biometric access) with practical simplicity (mechanical locks for emergencies)
Challenges of penetrations (plumbing, HVAC) and importance of early-stage planning
Security consultant partnerships for client-specific threat analysis
Industry Trends & Inspiration
Video walls, immersive audio, and expanding equipment lines pushing acoustical design forward
Growing demand for multifunctional spaces with wellness at the core
Education gap: acoustics can’t be rendered on plans—clients must experience them
Crossovers with lighting design: aligning mood, emotion, and sensory experience
Acoustics and lighting as parallel disciplines in shaping emotion and experience
Safe rooms as both practical necessity and evolving design challenge
The future of specialty spaces as homes expand their functional and secure environments
Smart Power, Smarter Business: Inside LEA Professional’s Amplifier Innovation with Dan Augsburger
A deep dive into how IoT-enabled amplifiers, cloud technology, and Midwest engineering talent are reshaping audio integration. From South Bend, Indiana to projects nationwide, LEA Professional is building amplifiers that prioritize intuitive design, smart power, DSP, and remote cloud control. US Sales Manager Dan Augsburger joins from the 2025 CEDIA Expo in Denver—recorded from the VW ID.Buzz—to share how the company’s technology, flexibility, and philosophy are empowering integrators and raising the tide for the entire industry.
1. Company Introduction
Dan Augsburger, US Sales Manager for LEA Professional.
Company headquarters in South Bend, Indiana, near Elkhart—an unlikely hub for amplifier and RV technology.
Specializes in IoT-enabled smart amplifiers with intuitive IT platforms, smart power features, and built-in DSP.
2. Core Technology + Features
Smart Power: Flexibility with power bridging to double output.
DSP: Optimizing speaker performance.
Cloud Control: Robust two-way communication, remote adjustments, and diagnostics reduce truck rolls and save integrators significant time and cost.
3. Expo 2025 Atmosphere
Denver, Colorado at CEDIA Expo.
Positive industry sentiment despite macroeconomic pressures (tariffs, interest rates).
Projects above $50,000 remain strong, while smaller projects feel more impact.
4. Market Forces + Industry Trends
Tariffs and AI dominate conversations but remain unsettled.
Integrators adapting by building contingency plans regardless of scenario.
Location advantage: central distribution, lower real estate costs, strong talent pool.
Brand-agnostic: amplifiers integrate seamlessly with major control systems and speaker brands.
Emphasis on collaboration and raising the tide for the whole industry.
Multiple manufacturing partners for supply flexibility and reliability.
6. Big Picture Takeaway
LEA Professional builds technology designed to simplify, empower, and save integrators time and money.
Focus on foundational strength, product availability, and innovation through collaboration.
So, amazing, right? This was part two of our series called, The Ride Along from CEDIA Expo, CIX 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Thank you to all the amazing people at CEDIA, and Emerald for making this possible. Thank you VW for providing an incredible recording space in the all new VW ID.Buzz. Man, this seats were comfortable. Thank you Caitlin, Tyler, Gina, Julian, Eric, Dan and Jason. So much fun!
Thank you for listening. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend or colleague who loves design and architecture like you do, subscribe to Convo By Design wherever you get your podcasts. And continue the conversation on Instagram @convo x design with an “x”. Keep those emails coming with guest suggestions, show ideas and locations where you’d like to see the show. Convo by design at outlook.com.
Thank you to my partner sponsors, TimberTech, The AZEK Company, Pacific Sales, Best Buy, LOME-AI and Design Hardware for supporting the publication of over 650 episodes and over 3,000,000 streams and downloads. These companies support the shelter industry so give them an opportunity on your next project. Thanks again for listening. Until next time, be well, stay focused and rise about the chaos. -CXD
I had the opportunity to sit with down with Nick McWhirter or SHM Architects to explore the nuances of transitional design, the delicate dance between modern and traditional elements, and the intentionality behind every architectural choice. From furniture-driven layouts to aspirational lighting strategies, Nick shares the thought process, research, and we discuss philosophy that transform houses into harmonious, living machines. Listeners will gain insight into how design, balance, and playfulness converge to create both beauty and functionality in contemporary residential architecture.
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What makes a home truly exceptional isn’t just the materials or the finishes—it’s the careful orchestration of space, light, and style. In this episode, Nick breaks down his approach to transitional design, revealing how subtle choices like shutter placement, dormer adjustments, or color balance can shift a home’s aesthetic from modern to traditional. The conversation spans everything from lighting plans and hidden technology to furniture-first design principles and the philosophy behind architecture as a living, breathing machine.Of course, that idea comes from Le Corbusier and his thoughts on this very subject.We also discuss the role of photography, the tension between realism and aspirational imagery, and the evolving vernacular of form and function in modern homes. This episode is a masterclass in thoughtful, intentional, and style-agnostic design.
Topics and Ideas
Introduction & Context
Welcome and setup: Exploring transitional design
Nick’s philosophy: Style agnostic but deeply researched
Transitional Design: Modern vs. Traditional
Subtle moves: Shutters, dormers, cut stone, and symmetry
Playfulness in design: How small details create balance
Color palette: Black-and-white schemes as intentional high-contrast statements
Experimentation and editing: Knowing when less is more
Lighting as a Core Component
Invisible vs. visible fixtures: Philosophy of recessed lighting
Lighting as both function and art
Integration with technology: Wi-Fi, AV, and smart home systems
Photography, Aspirational Design & Reality
Balancing reality and idealized imagery in marketing
Photoshop as a tool to highlight design intent
How photography conveys quality of light, space, and atmosphere
Form Follows Function & Architectural Philosophy
Homes as “machines for living”
The role of beauty and human experience in architecture
Historical perspective: Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and modern vernacular
Outdoor Spaces & Technology Integration
Creative solutions: Two TVs on a patio
LED walls and emerging tech as part of design storytelling
Closing Thoughts & Personal Insights
The freedom in design: Few right or wrong answers
Nick’s passion for music, smoked meats, and lifestyle influence
Preview of future conversations and projects
Thank you, Nick for the time and conversation. Thank you for listening. If you liked this episode, share it with a friend or colleague who loves design and architecture like you do, subscribe to Convo By Design wherever you get your podcasts. And continue the conversation on Instagram @convo x design with an “x”. Keep those emails coming with guest suggestions, show ideas and locations where you’d like to see the show. Convo by design at outlook.com.
Thank you to my partner sponsors, TimberTech, The AZEK Company, Pacific Sales, Best Buy, LOME-AI and Design Hardware for supporting the publication of over 650 episodes and over 3,000,000 streams, downloads and making Convo By Design the longest running podcast of its kind. These companies support the shelter industry so give them an opportunity on your next project. Thanks again for listening. Until next time, be well, stay focused and rise about the chaos. -CXD
This week, the Convo By Design studio went mobile inside the VW ID.Buzz at CEDIA Expo and Commercial Integrator Expo in Denver—bringing you candid conversations with leaders shaping the future of smart homes, design integration, and resilient technology.
From energy resilience to invisible lighting, European design influences to smarter tools, these ride-along interviews capture the pulse of the connected design and integration industry. Join Soundman in the VW ID.Buzz for a road trip packed with insight, innovation, and the people pushing design and technology forward.
CEDIA & CIX Overview
CEDIA: The global association for home technology pros—advancing smart home, DenverDenverAV, networking, and integrated systems through education and advocacy.
CEDIA Expo: The industry’s largest annual gathering with hundreds of exhibitors, demos, and training sessions.
Commercial Integrator Expo (CIX): The companion event focusing on commercial AV, IT, and building automation solutions.
Making lighting tech accessible to designers and integrators.
Demystifying with clear, plain-language education.
PhaseX (DMX over Romex) expanding retrofit options.
The rise of lighting demo rooms in showrooms.
The payoff of early collaboration on project outcomes.
Recorded live inside the VW ID.Buzz, this episode captures the energy and ideas driving CEDIA Expo / CIX 2025. From resilient energy to invisible lighting, these conversations remind us that design and technology are converging faster than ever—and collaboration is the bridge. Thank you to everyone and CEDIA, CEDIA Expo, CIX, Brand Definition, Julia, Dan, Ray, Irene, and everyone who helped make this an incredible experience. Thank you to VW. I enjoyed the ride and hope you did too! -CXD
