The Federal Election Commission in a draft opinion released Tuesday said Rep. Gabrielle Gliffords would be allowed to make use of campaign funds to beef up her Home Security System.
The FEC is expected to make grants unto $ 2,200 worth of improvements to her home security system. The Arizona rep. whose family home is in Houston on the advice of U.S. Capitol Police plan to include installing improved exterior lighting, improved locks and an alarm button to the Home Security System.
The Giffords campaign had requested the FEC rule on the issue earlier this month; the commission will formally vote on the release of funds for Home security system up-gradation at its meeting Thursday.
The FEC approved usage of $5,000 campaign funds to strengthen home security system of Rep. Lee Terry following a similar recommendation from the Capitol Police.

In this phase of economic meltdown home automation is still on constant rise. According to a research carried out by ABI Research, around 1.8 million home automation systems have been shipped globally this year as service providers are boosting the home automation market worldwide.
As per the reports from the research firm, the number of home automation systems is expected to reach the 12 million mark by the year 2016 as service providers are making this technology easily available to customers. Verizon is one of the leading providers; Verizon launched its home automation plan called Verizon Home Monitoring and Control in December 2010, starting at $9.99 per month.
Verizon is offering a new three leveled service under the Verizon Home Monitoring and Control umbrella; various other service providers like Rogers wireless in Canada, Orange in France, Telecom Italia and Australian Telestra are offering similar home automation services.

Automated lighting is in the focus for many building managers who know the advantage of the high tech systems. The focus on automated lighting is generated primarily because lighting usually consumes up to 30% of a building's total power consumption.
These automated lighting systems may be very useful in parking garages where lighting is not required to be on all the time. This will help cut down on the operating costs and also reduce the carbon footprint.
Adura Technologies is one of the companies which offer automated lighting solutions and they have recently installed two systems in parking garages in San Francisco. These two garages have reduced their energy use for lighting by an astonishing 40.5% in a 20-week measurement period. Garages have high burn rates and highly sporadic occupancy, according to Adura's CEO Mark Golan. So the presence of automated lighting in these garages has proved to be very effective. Their systems use switches which also turn on when pedestrians or vehicles pass through to increase the safety and ambient light sensors which increase or lower lighting levels based on the ambient light available.