The ‘Smart American Home’: Classic East Coast style meets smart living
There are many smart solutions when it comes to house automation. If these are taken into consideration at planning stage, occupants are able to handle the building and energy management of their homes themselves. The owners of the ‘Smart American Home’ have invested three years and constructed their own personal dream home in the classic style of the American North East, also referred to as ‘New England Style’.
A piece of the East Coast: New England style
Pitched or flat roofs, bungalows, log cabins, villas: It can be really difficult to decide on your own kind of New England Style House right away.For the owners of the ‘Smart American Home’ however, the decision was easy. A research trip to the US city of Boston, where this architectural style is quite common, provided inspiration and an initial design. An architect then finalised a detailed floor plan. Unlike its archetypes on the East Coast, this Smart American Home is not made entirely of wood – the white timber panelling is backed up by solid masonry. One of the defining characteristics of the New England style is the long, covered porch. Like the rest of the house, it is level with the ground. This is somewhat different from the US original, but in turn enables barrier-free access, which may prove useful later in life.
Customised furnishings and fittings
For a pet project such as this one, the owners didn’t want to leave anything to chance, so they opted for custom-made interior fittings. The exterior’s white/brown design continues inside and is complemented by beige accents.A glance in the basement reveals a true wellness oasis with a large whirlpool and three saunas that provide plenty of room for guests. After a wellness treatment, occupants can bring the day to a close relaxing in front of the fireplace in the living quarters. A simple push of a button will create just the right mood with appropriate lighting and music.
Smart Home - the East Coast style
Smart Home as an overall concept
The home owners made positive experiences with smart building components before, which made them opt for extensive building automation in their own home. This was factored in and integrated before construction started, so that if changes to sequences or scenes are desired at a later stage, a System Integrator (an expert on Smart Home products) merely has to reprogram these components. The intelligent building technology is based on the KNX system. All information comes together in a single server – from the outside camera and heating, to access authorisation via a fingerprint scanner. The technology is controlled throughout the entire house by the Gira Control Client 9 units.
The owners can choose their favourite music, set the right lighting mood, and all the while keep an eye on their power consumption for the day, month, or year. In the event of any malfunctions – for example in the heat pump or solar panels – they will automatically receive an e-mail or app-based alert. And if there are security issues, the relevant services are notified immediately. Thanks to intelligent building management, the owners can control their home easily and conveniently, wherever they happen to be. Besides the living comfort that this affords, it also increases flexibility and safety. The Smart American Home showcases the many diverse applications of building technology and the benefits that it offers.
Do you have prior experiences with smart solutions in your own home? We look forward to receiving your comments!
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