Tips for Integrated Building or Environment Automation for Your Home

Integrated building or environment automation is a very jargon-y way of describing a situation where your building’s systems talk to each other. Getting your systems communicating with each other via an integrated building or environment automation plan can pay off with big savings in energy along with a safer, more comfortable and more enjoyable home.

The fact is that commercial construction has been integrating building automation systems for some time. The technology is there and is used for things like automatic lockdowns in public buildings, lights that shut themselves off after the last person leaves a room and toilets that flush themselves without wasting water. Much of that technology has worked its way down from the high-end commercial market into the home market at a price point that’s affordable for most homeowners. If you’re building a new home or renovating an existing one, consider these things that the home automation industry has learned along the way.

Work with an Overall Plan

For years, different technicians in entirely different industries handled the various systems that provide services for your home. You had one guy for the HVAC system, another guy for the electrical system, a third to wire the landscape lighting and sprinklers and yet another to install a home security system. And that’s all before your audio visual, cable, telephone, satellite and home network systems get involved. With all the different moving parts being manipulated by so many different people, it’s no wonder that existing buildings have issues communicating with each other.

If you’re building new or doing extensive renovations, pull in a company that does wiring/pre-wire for home automation and integration systems from the start. Setting up a “skeleton” system of wiring will make it easier to plug-and-play elements of your home systems when you’re ready to add them.

Be Involved in the Planning

The company you choose should involve you, the building owner, from the very start of the planning. In fact, the very first step in the planning should be a complete assessment of your needs and expectations: do you want integrated audio video throughout your home? What kind of user controls work best for you? Who will be using the automated systems they’re installing for you? Do you want lighting control, wireless home networking, a central media library, an integrated security access system? You should be consulted on all of those decisions – and be given all the information you need to make good decisions.

Building or environment automation systems aren’t the wave of the future. They’re here and they’re here to stay. An interconnected environmental control system will make your home more comfortable, energy efficient and enjoyable to live in.