Hallways and closets may seem like the last place you need technology, but prewiring those spaces for occupancy sensors can be extremely helpful to households that want to save energy, says Scott Fuelling of Phoenix Unequaled Home Entertainment in Memphis, Tenn. For example, when a sensor notices that someone has exited a hallway, it could signal your security system (or lighting control system) to turn off the lights. The same thing could happen in your closets.

Closets are also an ideal spot to prewire for light switches and thermostats, says Dustin Christner of Simplistic Solutions C.H., of Newport Beach, Calif. This doesn’t mean you’ll need to go to the closet every time you want to turn on a light. Rather, this arrangement will allow you to install less obtrusive devices such as sleek lighting control keypads and wafer-thin temperature sensors throughout your home, while keeping the actual switches and thermostats out of sight.

THE WIRE: 4-conductor alarm wire between each remote temperature sensor and the thermostats inside the closet; Category 5 data cabling between each lighting keypad and the switches in the closet; and Category 5 cabling from the switches and thermostat in the closet to the lighting control and heating/cooling control processor.