Matching form with function: the latest evolution of home automation

Taste for technology

When owner of Mansion Builders, David Lang, began the design work to develop six units in Nunawading, his goal was to create smart, modern and tasteful homes that were eyecatching, practical, user-friendly and energy-efficient. He is a firm believer of taking advantage of the opportunities made possible by the latest product development, but instinctively understands that technology should not be used for its own sake.

Lang is fortunate in enjoying a long-standing relationship with electrical contractors, Jen-Electrix, that has spanned over 30 years of residential, commercial and industrial projects. So when Bruce Jenkin and Josh Winther from Jen-Electrix recommended the inclusion of the latest Legrand automation solution, MyHOME, Lang was intrigued to see how this could enhance his Nunawading development, especially as he had previously utilised a wide range of Legrand products in numerous past successful projects.



Appropriate automation

MyHOME automation has the ability to effortlessly and efficiently control lighting, heating, cooling, security and window dressings, as well as monitoring energy and water consumption throughout a property. However, with such a comprehensively capable system, the challenge for a developer is to decide which features are appropriate to include in a project and which to leave out.

Focussing on their target market, Lang, Jenkin and Winther agreed the best approach for this development was to use MyHOME predominantly for lighting automation, with integration to the Legrand Bticino Sfera intercom.

As part of the MyHOME solution selected for this project, a 10-inch touchscreen provides the main user interface in each of the units’ main living area. This facilitates central control of the lighting throughout the house, plus the ability to monitor the power used by the energy-efficient LED lighting. For added convenience, an additional 3.5-inch touchscreen provides full control of the system from each unit’s master bedroom. Alongside the MyHOME platform, Lang installed Legrand Harmony boxes to distribute telephone, data and TV sockets throughout each home.



Setting the scene

One of the most popular aspects of MyHOME automation is the ability to create a library of lighting ‘scenes’. For example, at the simple press of a button, it is possible to select an ‘Entertainment’ scene or a ‘TV’ scene in which the lighting levels are dimmed to optimal levels to create the perfect ambience for the planned activity. The ‘scene’ feature can similarly be utilised to create a ‘Welcome Home’ scene— illuminating a pathway to the kitchen, for instance—and this can even be activated automatically through the use of sensors.

Equally, ‘Morning Wake Up’ and ‘Goodnight’ scenes can be set to gradually dim lights up or down at the beginning and end of the day, while the security conscious will enjoy programming automatic switching/dimming of the lighting to make the house look occupied when it is not. The units also have sensors to control the outside lights, which detect the presence of a person but only activate after dark.

An exciting feature that takes security to the next level is the ability for occupants to control the lighting remotely via an app on their smart devices. Compatible with both Android and IOS, this allows residents to adjust lighting remotely when not actually at home.



Future flexibility

Lang is extremely happy with the outcome of the project. He has enjoyed the journey in transforming two tired, weatherboard houses into six stunning, state-of-the-art, modern townhouses, and is full of praise for the support he received from the Legrand team from design inception through to completion. The Legrand solutions chosen for the development has helped Lang match his vision with reality: MyHOME delivers a level of sophistication that is perfectly complemented by the chic style of the Legrand Arteor wall plates used throughout.

As home automation is becoming more widely understood and accepted, it is inevitable that the market will see an increasing use of such systems. Legrand’s MyHOME provides an infrastructure backbone that allows the system to be programmed to meet the exact current requirements of the occupants, and easily reprogrammed or augmented to meet changing needs over time, as families grow or when the house is sold, for example.

It truly can be considered an investment into the longevity of a property: it delivers inherent energy efficiency and unprecedented levels of flexibility, thereby providing an assured way to future-proof your home.