[ Spotlight: Smart homes ] Combining smart-home
technology with Georgian elegance – T&T Automation (Europe’s) installation in Essex
Crestron integrated smart home system
High society
T&T Automation (Europe) has created an outstanding smart home system for a large Georgian house in the Essex countryside by incorporating ultra-modern and discrete control. With the use of Crestron technology, the tailor-made design solution blends in with the home and enhances the family’s lifestyle and experience. T&T designed and installed a 21st-century home automation system, including a host of entertainment features. Each room now boasts a fl atscreen TV, Blu-Ray players, music and gaming content, satellite HD TV, and a video and audio server that stores the family’s collection of movies and music and makes them easily available to diff erent screens throughout the house. Crestron lighting control has been engineered throughout the
property. It covers many diff erent lighting types, including downlights, wall lights, pendants, chandeliers and skirting LEDs – all of which can be controlled at an individual circuit level from any large-format Crestron touchscreen. Crestron technology is also at the heart of the heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning control in the home. A three-stage system is controlled via thermostats to give individual set-point control for each part of the property. Meanwhile, a number of door and window locations have automated blackout blinds for shading, and voile tracks for privacy. Phillip Pini, system design engineer in the residential development
team at Crestron UK, says: ‘By bringing a sophisticated and contemporary digital twist to this particular example of Georgian splendour, T&T Automation has created a wonderful, easy-to-operate and beautifully integrated architectural gem.’
technology of automatically collecting consumption, diagnostic and status data, and works on a one-way system. Energy suppliers are keen to promote the benefi ts of smart metering and Jean-Paul Krivine, project director of Smart Energy – Smart Home at EDF, says: ‘Helping to create energy effi cient smart homes is an opportunity for utilities to reinforce trust and confi dence, and to consolidate an improved and sustainable relationship with their customers.’ However, it is the analysis of data that provides the
real benefi t of having a smart meter. As ECA’s head of Energy Solutions, Bill Wright, points out: ‘Having a
36 ECA Today March 2014
smart meter installed is only eff ective if the information it provides can be used by the homeowner. A smart meter alone won’t save energy – that is down to how users interpret and act upon the data.’
Train to gain The market for smart homes will only get bigger and it represents an excellent business opportunity. However, as with any new area of work, contractors must make sure they have the requisite skills to carry out smart home installations to the highest standards. Norman advises: ‘It is vital for contractors to invest
in various training solutions in order to fully acquaint themselves with the full scope of home automation technologies. This little time spared really will pay dividends in the long run.’ The technologies, terminologies and integration
skills required are likely to demand a step up from where most electrical contractors are at the moment. Hayward says: ‘Contractors need to stay ahead of technical developments and trends if they are going to address market requirements.’ For the smart metering rollout, the sheer amount
of work involved means that there aren’t enough meter installation engineers capable of handling the quite complex work this involves. The ECA’s Wright says: ‘This means that electrical contractors ,who have the requisite skills, should be in demand from the utility companies once the roll-out starts in earnest. We hope to see a growing number of electrical- contracting companies working closely with utility companies for the installation of smart meters.’
Future proof Homes are becoming increasingly complex and more technology driven, and research suggests that this trend is set to continue. As a sector looking for new growth areas, smart homes represent a real opportunity to diversify and gain a new revenue stream.
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