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What are the benefits of installing Home Automation of Lighting in a new extension?
I'm a software programmer, and like gadgets ... but I've not got my head around why I would want a centralised Home Automation system in a new (large) extension we are building, which is now getting close to First Fix.
I'll start with lighting (I have further thoughts about heating and AV etc. but will start a new thread for those)
Here's what I see as an average example:
If I get up in the middle of the night HA could give me gentle light to get to the kitchen, more significant light at other (dark) times, and all lights on/different in Party Mode.
What we currently have is a dusk-to-dawn light on the landing, it casts enough light for me to get around the landing or all the way downstairs and to the kitchen in the middle of the night. Of an evening there is one switch to turn on more light (to go to upstairs etc.), and when we have a party I wander along the corridor turning all the other lights on.
I've not got my head around why automating that would be better - particularly if the switches become complicated, and non-obvious to a visiting guest, or there are bugs and hassles - both I and Mrs K would regard it as a hugely retrograde step if Mrs K had to phone me to ask how to do something / reboot / etc. if I was away.
I can see benefit in being able to change the configuration of switches - trying to decide, now, which switches will control which physical lights is unlikely to be 100% spot-on - particularly given that the people who built the house originally made some, to us, daft choices!! convinces me of that. I can also see a benefit in being able to press one switch, when I go to bed, to turn of anything which should not be on ... although ... we stayed with friends who have a fully-sorted HA system, and when we went to bed the lights in our bedroom went off when the owner went to bed - presumably he flicked his "night mode" switch.
How often do I find, in the morning, that I left a light on by mistake the night before? Virtually never. (I'm not arguing its not nice to have, but IME these things come with side-effects and makes me wonder if the "gain" is worth having. I think KISS applies!)
Kids do leave things on, so perhaps occupancy detection might help - will it really save energy? We are already an energy efficient household. When we decided to become energy efficient we reduced our electricity usage by half. There is almost nothing that is on, now, that doesn't absolutely need to be. Installing HA is going to sap some power just to run all the controlling & sensing equipment, so I am doubtful that what it saves will exceed what it uses.
We might like some lights to come on as a consequence of some action - perhaps driving in, at night, could bring on gate lights and security lights, or stair lights could come on as you enter the stairwell (with arms full of clothing, or whatever). I might well achieve discrete tasks like that by more simple ways than installing a centralised Node Zero system?
Having said all that, I am considering cabling everything in trunking, to allow changes in the future, and that cabling lights and switches, separately, back to a Node Zero location might be prudent. Have not yet persuaded myself that I need the whole lot controlled by a central system though. Happy for you guys to change my mind and persuade me though
I'll start with lighting (I have further thoughts about heating and AV etc. but will start a new thread for those)
Here's what I see as an average example:
If I get up in the middle of the night HA could give me gentle light to get to the kitchen, more significant light at other (dark) times, and all lights on/different in Party Mode.
What we currently have is a dusk-to-dawn light on the landing, it casts enough light for me to get around the landing or all the way downstairs and to the kitchen in the middle of the night. Of an evening there is one switch to turn on more light (to go to upstairs etc.), and when we have a party I wander along the corridor turning all the other lights on.
I've not got my head around why automating that would be better - particularly if the switches become complicated, and non-obvious to a visiting guest, or there are bugs and hassles - both I and Mrs K would regard it as a hugely retrograde step if Mrs K had to phone me to ask how to do something / reboot / etc. if I was away.
I can see benefit in being able to change the configuration of switches - trying to decide, now, which switches will control which physical lights is unlikely to be 100% spot-on - particularly given that the people who built the house originally made some, to us, daft choices!! convinces me of that. I can also see a benefit in being able to press one switch, when I go to bed, to turn of anything which should not be on ... although ... we stayed with friends who have a fully-sorted HA system, and when we went to bed the lights in our bedroom went off when the owner went to bed - presumably he flicked his "night mode" switch.
How often do I find, in the morning, that I left a light on by mistake the night before? Virtually never. (I'm not arguing its not nice to have, but IME these things come with side-effects and makes me wonder if the "gain" is worth having. I think KISS applies!)
Kids do leave things on, so perhaps occupancy detection might help - will it really save energy? We are already an energy efficient household. When we decided to become energy efficient we reduced our electricity usage by half. There is almost nothing that is on, now, that doesn't absolutely need to be. Installing HA is going to sap some power just to run all the controlling & sensing equipment, so I am doubtful that what it saves will exceed what it uses.
We might like some lights to come on as a consequence of some action - perhaps driving in, at night, could bring on gate lights and security lights, or stair lights could come on as you enter the stairwell (with arms full of clothing, or whatever). I might well achieve discrete tasks like that by more simple ways than installing a centralised Node Zero system?
Having said all that, I am considering cabling everything in trunking, to allow changes in the future, and that cabling lights and switches, separately, back to a Node Zero location might be prudent. Have not yet persuaded myself that I need the whole lot controlled by a central system though. Happy for you guys to change my mind and persuade me though