Only a few decades ago, the idea of a home automation system belonged in the realm of science fiction. Indeed, a world in which curtains could be opened and closed remotely, and lighting and television could be operated from the comfort of an armchair, seemed a far-off possibility. But these are gradually becoming everyday functions – and the company at the forefront of this revolution is Crestron. “Home automation was born out of the


technology used in meeting rooms around 20 years ago,” says Robin van Meeuwen, CEO Crestron EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia). “You’d press a button on one remote and the lights would dim, while another button would enable a video to be projected onto a screen. Seeing these innovations in the professional space made executives think: ‘I’d like that in my house’.” And Crestron has made it possible for that to happen, creating technology that effortlessly controls a range of functions around the home.


MAKING LIFE SIMPLER “When people come to see us, they always love the idea of home automation but think it might be an unnecessary luxury,” says Robin. “So, I explain my situation to them: I run a global business, and have a home in both Belgium and England – so anything that works to ease my daily life makes a huge difference. “For example,” he continues, “I’m able to fire up the systems in both homes using an app on


“ PEOPLE OFTEN COMMENT THAT HAVING EXPERIENCED OUR AUTOMATED SYSTEM, THEY FIND IT HARD TO IMAGINE HOW THEY EVER LIVED WITHOUT IT”


my smartphone. I can be in England and check whether my daughter has left any lights on in the house in Belgium. If she has, I can turn them off. The beauty of this technology is that you can make it as complicated or as simple as you wish.” Simplicity is, of course, essential in systems


aimed at the home user. Crestron has addressed this though its Pyng app, which is able to preset and store settings – known as “scenes”. For example, in the morning, a family might favour a particular temperature setting and radio channel, so they can create a “scene” that collates this information. Likewise, a “Good Night” scene can be set so that all lights in the house are turned off, all security lights and alarms are turned on, and the television in the bedroom plays a chosen television programme when requested. All settings are backed up on the cloud, and can be activated in another house or hotel equipped with Crestron.


A FAIL-SAFE SYSTEM One of the most common questions that potential customers ask, according to Robin, is what happens if the system fails or the power cuts out. “So far we’ve never had a crash,” he says, “but these are computers after all. If one were to fail, the others would seamlessly take over. You can also override everything and


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operate the system by hand. It’s backed up in much the same way as an alarm system.” For those who would prefer to see Crestron’s


systems in action before making a purchase, there are showrooms all over the world, including one in Chelsea Harbour, London. There are also showrooms and offices across Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. Such expansive success comes down to the


fact that Crestron is creating simple and effective solutions in a world where lives are getting ever busier. Says Robin: “People often comment that having experienced life under our automated system, they find it hard to imagine how they ever lived without it.” showroom.crestron.eu


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