02. Buckinghamshire – Smart Home Automation, Lighting, and Energy Savings

By incorporating Smart Lighting, Heating, Energy Savings, a Video Doorbell, a Smart Lock, and more, we transformed this house into a Real Smart Home.

Project Overview: Turning a Traditional House into a Smart Home Installation

The client contacted us through our website. They wanted to turn the house they had been living in for 3 years into a smart home installation. Originally, they focused mainly on lighting. After our visit and discussing all available options for their home installations, they quickly realised the possibilities of a real smart home and wanted to add more features.

Smart Lighting: From Traditional to Intelligent Control

The main priority was to replace the standard light switches with smart light switches. These switches could be controlled from anywhere but still allow for manual control. After checking the electrical installation, we were happy to inform the client that the lighting included neutral wires on the switches. This meant they could choose from all available smart light switches on the market, without needing to rewire the house.

Enhancing the Living Room with RGB LED Lighting

The client also wanted something special for the living room. They decided to install an RGB LED strip around the room, along with a stretch ceiling, creating a stunning result.

Smart Heating System for Maximum Comfort and Energy Efficiency

Initially, the client hadn’t considered upgrading the heating system. However, after explaining the benefits of a smart heating system, including smart radiator valves for full control and energy savings, they decided to go ahead. We integrated a Tado thermostat and TRVs. We also set up automations to ensure only the occupied rooms are heated, saving significant energy.

Smart Energy Savings: Automations to Lower Your Electricity Bill

We added automations to switch off lights and appliances that were not being used. The entire house, including heating and hot water, would automatically switch off when they are away or on holiday. Our platform also tracks the current electricity price. It shows the cheapest times of the day for their electricity tariff, so they could run appliances like the dishwasher and washing machine at the most efficient times. As a result, their electricity bill decreased by 33%.

Centralised Control: Your Smart Home in One App

To give the client more control over their smart home, we integrated all devices into a single mobile application. We also created an interactive 3D Floor Plan of their home. This allows them to check device status and interact with everything from one place, no matter where they are in the world.

Smart Home Devices Integration: Seamless Connectivity

We integrated other smart devices, some provided by the client, into our platform. These included a door lock, a robot vacuum, a TV, an electric blind (with automations to open/close it at certain times), and a doorbell. Some of the automations included notifications sent to the client’s phone whenever the main door is unlocked. They could also switch off all lights, the TV, and other devices with one button located near the main door. Lastly, we set up an automation to turn on the bathroom fan only after someone takes a shower, instead of every time the light is on.

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