Functionality Reigns in Networked Home
Sep 5, 2006 12:00 PM
The following information is courtesy of the 2005 CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles Designers' Choice Awards. For more information on how to become a member of CEDIA, or information on its awards program please visit www.cedia.org or call (800) 669-5329.
2005 CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles Winner
Designers Choice Awards: Best Integrated Home
Level VIII ($1,900,000-2,750,000)
The project's main objective was to create a top-of-the-line home entertainment system. The client, an entrepreneur with multiple patents, requested that the systems were easy to use and that the installations were hidden and built with high-quality components.
With a total of 39 zones of entertainment, including 15 areas designated for televisions and 13 for surround sound, the abilities of the Crestron control system became more apparent to the homebuilder and client. The network of touchscreens was pulled into duty as the primary interface for more and more of the home’s sub-systems. Ultimately, this became the primary interface for several amenities including CCTV, HVAC, snow melt, hot tub, and aquarium. There is a secondary interface for lighting, fireplaces, motorized wooden blinds, storm shutters, and garage doors.
More often than not, these projects take on a life of their own, morphing and growing into what becomes the final project. The final installation is never anywhere near the original design. This project was no different. The initial challenge was the size and scope of the project, but the ultimate challenge, was handling the multitude of changes and additions.
Our philosophy is to remove as much of the equipment from the living spaces as possible. Anything that the client does not have to access is located in designated areas. Our equipment is neatly arranged in large commercial racks minimizing the equipment that the client interfaces with, and it also aids in areas of ventilation.
Many of the plasma displays were mounted in cabinets, ceilings, or floors when not in use and motorized into place for viewing. Consistent interface design is a mandate from touchscreen to touchscreen, so the client’s learning curve is minimized. Often times we would split background control of customized systems between the Lutron and Crestron control system; this allowed us to have two separate programmers working on the same subsystem at one time.
We also made arrangements with Lutron to send us unassembled and unfinished plates for the lighting controls and receptacles so that the hardware company could match the exact finish used throughout the house.
There are several functions of the system that prove extremely beneficial to the client. Lighting control and heating management is used everyday in the approximately 20,000-square-foot house. The media room in the den and the plasma in the living room are engaged for every Boston Red Sox game. The system also features a hot tub control, while a snow melt control uses tubes flowing with heated anti-freeze under the driveway installed by a mechanical contractor before the pavement was laid. Our program controls the flow through programmed or manual operation. Since the home is not the client’s primary residence, Ambiance Systems created a program to control the client’s unique fish-feeding system so that the fish never miss a meal.
Equipment list
| Time and Expertise Worksheet | |
| Task | Hours |
| Client Interviews | 25 |
| Electronic Design and Engineering: | 300 |
| Proposal and System Documentation Preparation: | 100 |
| Project Management: | 550 |
| Pre-wire/Rough-in: | 750 |
| Trim-out: | 750 |
| Shop Time for Racking and Testing: | 150 |
| Programming: | 1250 |
| Final Installation and Calibration: | 1400 |
| Client Instruction: | 10 |
| Interior Design and/or Architecture by your Company: | 10 |
| Interior Design and/or Architecture by Others: | 100 |
| Project Management by Others: | 200 |
| Other time: builder's interior designs, drawings done on paper: | 0 |
| Total Hours to Complete: | 5595 |
