INFRASTRUCTURE & controls
What goes on behind the scenes in a smart home – and what are the are the options for operating your chosen system?
Your smart home can have all the amazing functions in the world, but if the controls are too complicated, or not intuitive, you will quickly find yourself longing for the days when a light switch was just a light switch. From grandparents to ‘digital native’ children, the whole family needs to understand how their abode functions, and manufacturers and installers work hard to make sure that’s the case.
But firstly, what goes on behind the scenes? Traditional electrical wiring and smart wiring are configured differently, as Steve Itoje of Link It Solutions explains: “To use lighting as an example, traditionally you would wire power to the switch, which would then be connected to the light. With smart lighting, you centralise everything, so each light and switch goes back to one location. That gives flexibility for any control to operate any light, in any part of the house.”
While designing and programming an integrated system is a specialist job, the cables can be run by your electrician. “We can bring in our team, but usually we find that people already have an electrical contractor as part of their building package, so we’ll give them the additional wiring plan and they will run it,” says Steve.
Cable management
Different cables are required for different tasks, such as 4-core speaker cables for multiroom audio; COAX for connecting satellite set-top boxes, receivers and digital TVS to an exterior dish or aerial; and Cat6 for data and wifi, the heating manifolds and boiler, and anything else you’ll want to be able to turn on, off, up or down.
Alan Matthews, director of Automated Spaces, says that there are various early considerations while you’re at the planning stage with your architect. You need to identify the location of the head end (ie, incoming services such as cable TV services, telephone and broadband, as well as the centralised server and rack-based equipment). Plan cable routes to be as safe, efficient and unobtrusive as possible. Also, arrange for the hardwired network that equipment will be connected to (although wireless options are possible, see the panel opposite). “You need to carefully coordinate the cable routes throughout the building to minimise the proximity of data cables to power cables to avoid the risk of electromagnetic interference,”
he says. “Also, the routes should be planned to ensure the best aesthetically pleasing finished look – ie, to minimise the number of visible cables in each room.”
Control options
Touch control panels have been around for ages in automated homes. They’re still in widespread use, and getting cheaper. “In-wall touchscreens are typically a part of every installation, and they are now more like £700, instead of £4,000. With the right setup, they offer fabulous integration and access to all services including intercom, video entry etc,” says Peter Worthy, CEO of Smarthomes.
Some of them include nifty features, like Elan’s justreleased Intelligent Touch Panel, which benefits from facial recognition – walk up to it and it will load your particular settings. Having different profiles for different members of the family is a growing trend and can be a really useful solution – so, kids could be able to control the TV and music in their den, but not the heating and lighting in their parents’ bedroom, for example.
All systems have their own dedicated app, which means they can be operated via your smartphone or tablet. This is brilliant for when you want to monitor things when you’re away from home, but surprisingly, this control method hasn’t taken over from dedicated touch screens, or from the hand-held remotes that are often used in rooms with a television. “It’s a false assumption that the phone or tablet will replace the traditional remote,” says Steve. “People tend to go without a remote for cost reasons, then they come back to us and ask how they can get hold of one. With this conventional tool, there’s muscle memory – you don’t need to look down at them to use them – and you get instant access to the control of that room. You don’t need to scroll through your phone and find the app first.”
Controls don’t need to be screen-based. Loxone’s system features a touch surface that can be integrated into glass, wood, ceramic or stone – so it can sit within a kitchen counter or an office desk, for example. Finally, a virtual voice assistant like Amazon Alexa is a fast-growing way to interact with your smart home. “I personally think they’re fabulous, but they’re currently not stable enough to be the only form of control,” says Peter Worthy. However,
as the technology gets better, expect them to play a bigger role.
Wider trends
In terms of what people are asking for – and installers are delivering – James Ratcliffe, managing director of Homeplay, explains that “simplicity is the main trend we’re seeing. We’re trying to direct our clients towards useful and easy-to-use technology.” So, for instance, while being able to control your bathroom lights when you’re on holiday isn’t actually very useful, people are into the idea of smart lighting as a way to set moods. “Homeowners realise how much illumination can affect interior design and are paying more attention to it,” says James. “It’s the main driver of our business now.”
Link It Solutions’ Steve Itoje says he’s finding people are looking for increased complexity in terms of the number of zones they’re dividing their homes into. “They are asking for more segregation, but also more feedback on what’s happening, so they can have more control,” he explains.