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The Scottish Environmental Technology Network

Social, Rented and Sheltered Housing

Smart Home technology is often viewed as only applicable for luxury residential developments and in certain historical respects this used to be true but by changing the emphasis on what the infrastructure is controlling the resultant outcome is totally turned around.

A luxury home installation will tend to emphasise covenience, appearence and integration with home AV systems above all else, the fact that it offers superb energy efficiency and long term cost savings is often seen as a secondary benefit. Wheras public and social housing the emphasis is firmly on improved efficiency, installation and maintainence cost reduction.

At every level KNX readily adapts to any situation, the basic infrastructure underlying the installation remains relatively unchanged. Cable installation can be cut back to the bare minimum as future proofing the property is not a major priority, the use of circular back boxes and simplification of the cable layout further reduces installation time and therefore cost, KNX devices can be programmed programmed prior to shipping to site, combined consumer units and KNX actuator panels can be pre-assembled and shipped to site, introducing further cost savings by reducing the commisioning engineers time on site to a bare minimum.

Lighting is more simply controlled with the use of switching actuators rather than dimmers (though there is an argument for using dimming actuators to prolong bulb life and reduce energy consumption by only allowing bulbs to run at 90-95% of their maximum potential output) which is less expensive and utilising inexpensive switches. Simple heating controls can be added to the heating system allowing for a fully zoned heating system in even the most modest of properties. Integrated security systems allow for occupants peace of mind as well as simplifying void property headaches for the property manager.

Remote metering of water, electricity and gas supplies also further reduces the organisational workload as well as allowing for accurate billing and forcasting of future energy demands. It also works brilliantly for fault warning - for example a water leak can be readily spotted by a sudden increase in water consumption allowing for prompt intervention before too much damge is caused.

An energy efficient house offers many benefits for the occupants particularly for those on lower incomes, fuel bills are greatly reduced leading to a better quality of life by reducing the strain on weekly budgets. KNX is easily installed in existing stock during a rewire as well as new build and can totally transform an existing heating system with the simple addition of a solenoid or proportional control actuator to the original radiator valves creating a more energy efficient heating system with the minimum cost impact.

Sheltered Accomodation and housing for people with special needs often represents a significant investment for a Landlord, housing association, local authority or health board. Where better to utilise KNX technology. Simplyfying care by allowing for discreete unobtrusive monioring - for example the same prescence detectors that are used of security and energy management can be utilised to provide an alert to carers if there is no movement by the occupant for a specified period, fall alarm and communication systems can be readily incorporated into the installation.

The energy demands of the individual can be readily managed and monitored particularly with those who are more sensitive to temperature to provide a more balanced, comfortable environment for the residents and greatly reduced cost for the landlord - from personal experience I can testify to an elderly relative who was complaining that their appartment within a sheltered housing complex was far to hot, so they had thrown all of the windows wide open whilst still leaving the heating system turned up full in the middle of winter to reduce the temperature! (Sensors can be included to disable the appropriate zones in the heating system in the event of a window being opened).

KNX has the ability to react to residents needs and work with them - heating controls can be limited so that the occupant can only vary the temperature by as little as ± 3°C, allowing then a degree of freedom in individual temperature control without crippling the landlords heating budget. The controls presented to the user are simple and intuitive in use - a lightswitch is still a lightswitch, a thermostat is still a thermostat - they look and function in the same familiar manner to the user but the technology behind them is state of the art.

Feel free to contact us with regard to how you can cost effectively incorporate this technology within your new projects and your existing stock.