State of the Art Homes

Creating a start of the art home can mean many different things to many people. However, The Joseph Rowntree Foundation did a study of the market potential for Smart Homes (state of the art homes) and came up with this helpful definition:-

“Smart Homes use electronic networking technology to integrate the various devices and appliances found in almost all homes, plus building environment systems more common in factories and offices, so that an entire home can be controlled centrally or remotely as a single machine. This technology offers the prospect of significant improvements in the living standards of older, sick and disabled people who, without automated domestic activities, might otherwise be totally reliant on home care.”

Networking Your Home
This is one of the main features of any state of the art or smart home. Basically it involves a system which integrates all the utilities and technology in your home. There are many companies who now offer to network your home, but be careful that you choose a company that is happy to give you case studies and work to ensure that they minimise the damage to your home through installing network cables/features.

Research
To start, checkout these articles and websites to help understand exactly what networking is and what you need to think about for your home:-

Whole Home Systems explains well what this technology can do for your home.
Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association which have a members’ directory to search for companies to work with. The ‘Beginners Guide to Home Automation’ is a book you might like to read.

Once you have a list of what you would like the system to do and why, then you should think about how much you want to disrupt your home. Are you happy for it to be completely rewired and redecorate after, or would you prefer to look at wireless options?

For more information about what to consider, look at the Joseph Rowntree Foundations’ checklist.
 
For more help on networking your home, go to the CEDIA website and find companies in your area, look in our Additional Resources Section and go through the ’smart home examples’ to learn more about homes that have already been created with ‘intelligent systems’.

Other features that are easy to purchase and install and are considered ’standard’ these days are CCTV equipment to protect your home. So what technology is required to move your home to ’smart home’ status and improve security and status?

State of the Art Locks
If you frequently lose your keys, then this is ideal, Finger Print Door Locks! Basically they do what they say on the tin – instead of keys, you get into your home by using your fingerprint, something you are unlikely to ever leave behind! There are several companies that do this, but the main one to look at in the UK appears to be UK Biometrics. Checkout prices for these products, but expect to pay from £200 per lock. Do get independent advice as to the safety of these products – ideally find someone who already uses them or ask the company for some case studies or referrals.
 
State of the Art CCTV
It’s OK having CCTV at home or somewhere where you can access the internet, but what if you are not there to watch it? What if you are half way around the world? Don’t despair, our mobiles are now being put to good use through a CCTV system that sends a text to your mobile if something sparks movement for a camera. As long as you are not in the country with lots of wildlife around triggering the system every few minutes, it means you can keep tabs on what’s happening in your home.

Additional Information
Budgets vary for State of the Art Home Security, varying from £500 to £5,000 – I guess it depends how much stuff you have in your home!

Kitchen
Anyone living in a sophisticated smart home would want to have the best wines. Once you do have the best wine, the next most important thing to do is to have the very best place to keep them. Try the Spiral Cellars wine cellar. It claims that you can install it anywhere under floor, but I’m not sure we all have space for 1,600 bottles of wine under our floor!

If showers are more your thing, try the Tray Bien a new up-market, sleek shower tray. It fits flush with the floor and the waste is nicely covered over, so no horrible hairs in the morning. Visit Kaldewei or try the ‘rain shower’ it’s amazing!

Bedroom
Fancy having a plasma screen that appears or disappears as you instruct at the bottom of your bed? Visit Mayflower Designs.

Inspirational Heating from Aestus
Making radiators a design feature in your home. Visit Aestus.

Smart Home Examples
As smart home technology begins to influence our lives more and more, new homes developers are starting to implement technology into the home from the start of construction. Here are some examples of how technology is being implemented into homes around the country:-

The Life House
This house by David Wilson Homes has been test driven by a family to see the advantages and use of smart technology in a home.