EVER GET THE FEELING residential technology is confined to large metropolitan areas and the U.S. coasts? Don't believe it for a minute. Home buyers everywhere are going digital.

Integrator Quicksilver Audio in Kennewick, Wash. (www.quicksilver-audio.com), is working with local builders to bring full-featured Crestron systems and a mix of home technology to the rich agricultural lands of southeastern Washington State (and 220 miles from trendy Seattle). In one recent project, Quicksilver installed a $120,000 Crestron system, including 125 switched lighting circuits, eight rooms of audio, surround sound for the home theater, a 50-inch Pioneer plasma, and climate and security control.

“It kind of shocks people when we tell them we do this all the time, not just once in a while,” says Roger Ashby, Quicksilver's president. He points out that the region hosts the U.S. Energy Department's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a research facility that attracts tech-savvy engineers and professionals with high-paying jobs.

Another recent Quicksilver project was a local Parade of Homes demo house with local builder R. Peterman Construction of West Richland, Wash. The 5,900-square-foot demo house had about $20,000 worth of technology installed and featured eight zones of distributed audio and two areas for a home theater and surround sound.

“What I try to do when I meet with people is get them to realize that they might be in the house for 20 years, so it makes sense to put the proper systems in,” says Rick Peterman, owner of R. Peterman Construction. “I explain that they at least want the basic infrastructure in the house and get them together with someone who has a good track record.”