We all know how much the use of technology has increased in our homes as time has become more precious and as we have seen some of the benefits to be gained. Technology now takes many forms ranging from the TV, Hi-Fi and Home Cinema; to gadgets, Prontos and Internet connected computers; to alarm systems and kitchen appliances; all the way up to dimmable lighting and home control. However, whilst all of the technologies are useful in their own right, they also usually operate in isolation! 

Just imagine being able to answer visitors that ring your doorbell - from anywhere in the world; enjoy your complete music collection anywhere around your home, in the car, at sea, or in the air; have a home cinema where everything works seamlessly together with a single control that also takes care of the lighting and curtains; have a home that always appears occupied...and much more!

In part 1, we looked an illustration of a vision showing some of the benefits that you can achieve with technologies that are integrated throughout your home to work together seamlessly and easily – Whole Home Systems. In this part we look at some of the technologies behind this vision.

Whole Home Climate Control

You will achieve the maximum benefit from climate control by organizing your Whole Home into zones with independent hidden controls, automatically adjusting the room temperatures to the desired temperature at each moment of every day. Bedrooms for example could be warm in the evening, cooler during the night, and warmer again in the morning – all of this and more can be customizable to your preferences. For example: your kitchen could also be maintained at a temperature of your choice, whether cooking or not, with excess humidity removed.

The last thing anyone wants in their home is a noisy air-conditioning system.  The most effective fully integrated solution is to install under-floor heating together with split unit air conditioning controlled by an intelligent thermal control system to give maximum flexibility, efficiency and control.

For example, excess heat from any of your rooms heated by the sun can be used to heat your rooms in shade. As the sun moves around your home, the flow of air can be controlled to maintain your chosen temperatures and individual rooms can be independently controlled to suit specific needs.

The exact configuration and type of units always needs to be designed into your home to be as discrete as possible. It is also good to be able to site outdoor units remotely from your home – perhaps, for example, behind or to the side of a garage to minimize visual impact.

Just imagine your Whole Home with climate control, it will maximize the comfort levels for you and your family, and make your home a truly desirable place to be – whatever the conditions outside.

Whole Home Security

The security of your home and your family is paramount. It is therefore really important to make best use of reliable integration techniques in this area to maximise your peace of mind. Every opening window and door can be monitored, and with motion sensors in every room you can achieve the maximum possible internal coverage that you desire against unwanted visitors. Added to discrete video cameras monitoring your home from every angle you require and a security system that is able to simulate you and your family’s normal activities by controlling the lights and curtains when you are away – you’ll also achieve the maximum indication possible that your home is occupied at all times.

Effective fire detection is also essential for any home and when this is linked into the lighting system too, you and your whole family will be able to see a safe exit in an emergency.

Whole Home Automation and Control

Not only is your home yours to control, but certain actions can also be automated to save you even more time and energy by creating preset responses according to your requirements.

For example:

• Movement outside at night ensuring that certain room lights and all outside lights come on

• Sufficient rainfall disabling the garden irrigation that would otherwise automatically water your garden every day

• Most curtains and blinds automatically opening in the morning and closing at dusk to save time and energy, with others set to only open on request or stay closed longer at weekends – for example in the bedrooms.

• Wall-mounted and wireless touch screens, as well as keypads, give you complete access to every aspect of your home, together with secure remote access by phone, laptop, or the web. No longer will you have to find/learn how to make best use of an army of remote controls!

Whole Home Lighting

By taking intuitive control of every light inside and outside your home, you will be able to create the right light for the right occasion.

Apart from adding sophistication and style to any area of your property, full dimming control of every light fixture will also enable you to save energy and money. You can also further enhance the atmosphere in any room using the latest LED technology for cove and stair lighting.

When fingertip control of lighting scenes is extended into the garden too, just imagine the difference that you’ll enjoy when entertaining outside or just relaxing by the pool with a glass of wine on a warm summer’s evening.

Integrate all of this with an advanced security system and the security system can then control the illumination of any area should unwanted ‘visitors’ be on the prowl!

Whole Home Entertainment

Revolutionize the way that you enjoy music and home entertainment. There are many superb systems – from high quality music and video sources, AV amplifiers, plasma and LCD televisions to freestanding or discrete but powerful in wall and in ceiling speaker systems – that enhance the quality of the music you listen to or television and films that you watch but again most of them work in isolation.

Imagine the experience that you could enjoy when, otherwise hidden plasmas, LCD or electric screens appear at the press of one button at the same time as your curtains/blinds close, lights dim and the film/selected channel starts playing. Yet when they are not in use, no one would know the screens were there and you can benefit from extended use of your rooms.

You can also breath new life and possibilities into your home with integrated centralised control of music and video servers, satellite and radio receivers, and be able to enjoy the flexibility and choice of either having the same source routed to any number of rooms or an individual selection in different rooms.

Whole Home Internet

With broadband Internet, you will be able to access the Internet from any room you wish, giving you access to any services, including web and email, wherever you need it. (Alternatively there is always ISDN in the UK should broadband not be an option in your area and the same results can be achieved.) By using correctly secured wireless technology you don’t even need to be tied down to a particular area in your home, as you will be able to use a laptop or PDA anywhere inside or around your home.

In addition to ensuring that you have access to whatever you need, it is also important to protect you, your family, and any business that you may be involved with from the dark side of the Internet. Spam, viruses, and unfortunately worse still, all make life difficult but you will all be protected with the installation of a suitable Internet gateway.

You will also be able to securely control every aspect of your home remotely via a web interface using a laptop or PDA.

Whole Home Communication

With the installation of a telephone system and multiple lines with one or more numbers, you will have complete flexibility with how you use your phone system, and you will be able to answer any call from any phone in or around your home, from other buildings on your property, or even your mobile phone when you are away.

Any phone will be able to be used to make or receive calls on one or more lines – so they’ll be no need to queue up behind others to use the phone, wait for someone to stop using the Internet, or delay an important call. The phones can also be used as an intercom eliminating the need to shout from room to room and allowing incoming calls can be transferred to the right member of your family. Integrated voicemail is used as the ultimate in answering machines and it has the added benefit of being able to be checked remotely too.

By integrating the doorbell into the system, you can speak to visitors no matter where you are in your home without having to chase to the door, and when you are away from your home you can also talk to anyone that rings your doorbell so you can make your home still appear to be occupied even when you are not actually there.

Summary

Whole Home Systems are technologies that are integrated throughout the home to work together seamlessly and easily for your benefit as detailed in the illustration of a vision in part 1.  This article, part 2, has described some of the details of the technologies behind the vision. 

Imagination is the key though…  and these articles are the tip of the iceberg just to show you some of the benefits that you too can achieve through the effective use of integrated technologies. After all time is precious, and appropriate, reliable integration tames independent technologies to achieve even more functionality and make ‘Your Life Easier Safer and More Enjoyable’.

Achieve your vision with Whole Home Systems – we are always happy to discuss the ideas that you have for your own home further with you to ensure that your home will meet your current needs, as well as being flexible enough to grow with you and your family in the future. It is your home and our aim is to work with you to achieve the maximum comfort, security, and enjoyment possible.

Just let your Imagination flow and please feel free to

• Have a chat with either of our Directors - John or Kate - on +44 128 085 1006, or

• Email us at Vision@WholeHomeSystems.com if you prefer.

You'll then see how the strong values of ‘Whole Home Systems’ will provide you with the very best customer orientated service, and you will understand the difference that we will make to your life by providing you with the most appropriate solution to meet your individual needs and requirements.

About Whole Home Systems

Whole Home Systems is a division of Actio Limited - an established family controlled company that has invested heavily in achieving the necessary advanced training, knowledge, tools and resources to ensure that they reliably deliver the most appropriate solutions for their vast range of customers including architects, home builders, owners and every other party involved in a new or existing home; small businesses, and blue chip clients alike.

The two directors of Whole Home Systems draw on a combined experience of over 42 years in listening to, understanding, and satisfying the needs of a wide-range of customers worldwide. They believe in working ‘hands-on’ with their customers and team, to ensure that the Company’s excellent standards never falter and that you consistently benefit from their vast expertise in achieving the most from advanced technology solutions around your home.

Being totally dedicated to customer success, they bring you leading edge design skills combined with an advanced knowledge of audio visual and entertainment systems, intruder and fire detection systems, communication technologies, home automation and custom installations, integrated with an in-depth background in electrical engineering, computer systems and programming, wired and wireless networking, project management, and insurance. All this and more united under one roof for your benefit.

As a result of their advanced knowledge, skills, and experience, you too can take easy control of anything from security to home entertainment - indoors, in your garden, or across the Internet – through a seamless, discrete system that is easy to use, compliments your home, enhances the benefits of individual technologies and works with you.

The wide choice of dependable solutions from Whole Home Systems accommodate varying needs and budgets whilst still incorporating reliable products from suppliers that believe that support is of paramount importance like they do. These solutions can be applied in both new and existing homes, on land and sea, and Whole Home Systems have also spent the necessary time to ensure that all of these options map through to provide similar successful solutions for conference centres, and business environments alike.

As Whole Home Systems is a family controlled business uniting a team of strong believers in "If a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing well", you can be confident that you will achieve the right results for your unique circumstances because you are dealing with a company that believes in providing a customer orientated service that has your needs at heart. They haven’t lost sight of the importance of values and special customer service and they have the skills and expertise to work directly with you to translate your individual requirements into a totally exclusive solution that meets your expectations.

Operating throughout the UK, Europe and beyond from offices based in the centre of England, everyone can benefit from their approach and solutions, as Whole Home Systems recognise that needs vary, and instil the all-important confidence that you will achieve the right, easy to use and cohesive system to work with your individual circumstances to make your “Life Easier, Safer and More Enjoyable”. Additional information about Whole Home Systems is available from their web site at www.WholeHomeSystems.com, by emailing them at vision@WholeHomeSystems.com or by phoning them on +44 128 085 1006.

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