Keeping in control
An impressive architecturally-designed Sydney residence has set a benchmark for modern family living. The multi-level four-bedroom home boasts a glass elevator, home cinema, swimming pool, wine cellar, expansive indoor and outdoor entertaining areas, gymnasium and an underground multi-car garage. The home’s breathtaking design and meticulous craftsmanship is complemented by its idyllic waterside location, and is matched only by the electronic lifestyle system that supports it.
While it is not unusual for residences of this calibre to be equipped with a number of disparate home automation and control technologies, it is rare that they feature a single fully-integrated control system, which oversees a number of automated services. Such an integrated system was implemented at the new Sydney residence, providing the home owner with a powerful combination of sophisticated functionality and easy-to-use operability.
The company responsible for taking home automation and system integration to the next level at the new Sydney mansion was home automation pioneer, Smart Home Solutions (SHS). From conceptualisation and design, through to installation and commissioning, SHS provided the unique residence with a fully-integrated and customised electronic lifestyle system founded on Philips Dynalite control technology.
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STREAMLINED SYSTEM
The fully-integrated electronic lifestyle system streamlines the management of the home’s numerous control systems and electronic services. These include: lighting; a residence-wide music system; home theatre; temperature and ventilation control; motorised windows, blinds and shutters; security, access and surveillance camera systems.
According to Frank Gergelifi, Smart Home Solutions’ operations manager and projects coordinator, high-level system functionality, ease-of-use and technology concealment were key system design drivers.
“Bringing the home’s wide range of automated services together into a seamless integrated control platform that was also easy to operate, was essential,” he says. “It was also important that the control system elements remain largely unseen, so as not to detract from the clean architectural lines of this stylish modern home.”
SHS developed a residence-wide control architecture centred on a Philips Dynalite lighting control and automation system, which forms the core ‘engine’ of the home’s electronic lifestyle system. In addition to accommodating the home’s ‘working’ and decorative lighting control requirements, the system incorporates a range of third-party, best-of-breed control systems to accommodate the home’s extensive automated and electronic control processes.
Management and configuration of the integrated control system is achieved via any of the home’s 44 control panels, two third-party touch-screens, or any of the system’s handheld remote controls. In fact, SHS developed customised graphics for the touch screens to make controlling the electronic lifestyle system straightforward. The system can also be configured to allow controller access via other handheld devices such as iPhones and iPads.
EASY OPERATION
Simplicity and easy-to-use operability lie at the heart of the home’s control system.
“The home owners can use the control panels, or the third-party remote controls and touch screens to manage any of the home’s automated processes,” Frank says.
“For example, the resident can be watching a movie in the home cinema, switch to the surveillance cameras system to identify a visitor and open the front door… all without leaving their chair!”
It is this level of sophistication that has impressed the property’s owner.
“The flexibility of the control system is wonderful,” the home owner says. “It’s highly functional, intuitive and incredibly easy to use. We can execute pre-set or customised lighting configurations, as well as more complex multi system changes quickly and easily.”
Throughout the design and implementation process, SHS worked with the home owner to establish, develop and hone their control system requirements, taking their expectations from concept to reality.
“The team at SHS has extensive experience and were able to guide us through this process. They were able to anticipate potential functionality requirements, and make suggestions based on previous projects and their in-house knowledge. The resultant control system is perfectly matched to our way of life.”
CUSTOMISED STYLE
According to Frank, it was important that the style of the home was not compromised by the electronic lifestyle system.
“While wires and conduit can be hidden in wall cavities, external fixtures like switch plates and panels must be aesthetically pleasing and closely matched to the décor of the home,” he says.
Here, SHS employed customised switch plates. Each interface features a unique button configuration, and has been tailored to individual areas of the house based on the required level of functionality. All switch plates have been finished with a customised fascia to match the home’s modern styling.
“Where appropriate, we have consolidated as much functionality as we can into a single user interface. In situations like this one where there are multiple automated services, this consolidation of functionality avoids filling the walls with multiple panels and user interfaces, which can be extremely unsightly and make system operation difficult and confusing.”
IN-BUILT EFFICIENCY
As the Sydney residence is equipped with such high levels of automation, it was important that the electronic lifestyle system delivers similar levels of operational and energy efficiency. Here, the Philips Dynalite system has energy management functionality built in.
For example, the home’s bathrooms are equipped with energy-saving occupancy sensor functionality that ensures pre-programmed high, medium or low-level lighting is only activated when the rooms are in use. If the room’s switch panel is untouched, the lighting system will stay in ‘sensor mode’, automatically switching-off lighting once movement is no longer detected. However, if the occupant stays for a longer period, the system’s built-in intelligence disables ‘sensor-mode’ until the room is vacated, or the light is switched off.
Similar energy savings can be realised thanks to the home’s automated window louvres and blinds, which optimise the use of natural light, reducing the need for artificial lighting. SHS also worked with the client to modify the original system design, interlocking the heating and cooling systems and programming their operation so the home owner could take advantage of off-peak energy-usage opportunities.
Additionally, energy-saving coloured LED luminaires were installed in the dining and entertaining areas. The home owner can select from a range of pre-set lighting palettes, plus a ‘palette sequencing’ mode for setting moods and creating ambiences. The SHS team also ensured that the home’s numerous pre-set lighting scenes, such as ‘party’, ‘dining’, ‘night’ and ‘day’ mode make efficient use of the home’s lighting technologies.
HOME FOR THE FUTURE
Installed and online, the home’s electronic lifestyle system is providing the owners with the ultimate in automation and controllability, while keying-in with the building’s restrained elegance. The success of the project can be largely attributed to the innovative design, and the level of cooperation between all stakeholders from the initial design iterations, through to construction, installation and commissioning.
“Through meticulous design we got the foundation right from the beginning,” Frank says. “The Philips Dynalite system is a truly future-proofed lighting control solution. Once you have the right system in place, future changes and additions can be easily accommodated.”
This is a sentiment echoed by the home owner: “The system from SHS has exceeded our expectations. Everyone involved in the project worked to ensure we ended up with a stylish, easy-to-use automation system tailored to our lifestyle. We are very impressed.”
Installer
Smart Home Solutions
www.smarthomes.com.au
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