Twenty years ago, you would have thought that being able to turn the lights on in your house by dialing a number on your cell phone, or being able to open the front door for someone from your laptop at work was something straight out of science fiction – well, not any more. Move over George Jetson, not only are these things now possible, they’re just a small sample of the many incredible capabilities of automated homes.

“Home automation is basically electronics designed to simplify the operation and control of a home and to create an environment that is more comfortable, convenient and safe for a home owner,” explained Matt Plaskoff, owner of Plaskoff Construction. “Each of the systems that make up a home – security, lighting, climate control, audio, and video – can be automated in some fashion. When any number of these systems are integrated into a single cohesive package that can be accessed through a central touch screen, you then have an integrated home.”

Installing home automation components can be done either while a home is being built or remodeled, or as its own upgrade. When home automation is installed during construction of a new home, control wires are added before the drywall is installed. These control wires run to a centralized server or controller, which will then serve as the nerve center of the components.

		Let’s face it, we love our pets and in the realm of home automation there are some important products available, with more being developed all the time. For working families and frequent travelers, being able to check on your pet from afar can lessen the separation anxiety for both you and your pooch. The most common of the home automation products for pets are automated feeders, fresh water dispensers, and monitors and cameras, so you’ll know they are fed, warm and safe while you are away.

Imagine being able to recall lighting scenes at the touch of a button to instantly create different moods. During the day, motorized window shades automatically adjust themselves at different times to protect furniture from harsh sunlight and reduce cooling loads. A distributed audio system allows you to select music in any room in the house from a touch screen or keypad.

When you’re rushing out of your house to go run a timely errand, you simply hit one button on a keypad in the garage and the house shuts down, whatever lights you’ve chosen come on, the security system is armed, and you’re on the road without a worry.

Or when you and your family go out of town on vacation or business, you instruct your house to go into vacation mode. Your security system will be armed and your home will replay your lighting patterns for the past few weeks to mimic being occupied for security purposes while you’re away.

In extreme automation installations, rooms can sense not only the presence of a person but know who that person is and perhaps set appropriate lighting, temperature and music, taking into account day of week, time of day and other factors.

Home automation is not just about home security, it’s about environment. Some elements of home automation include creature comforts and mood enhancements that are far removed from sprinklers and security systems. An example of this would be a smart kitchen where floor board heaters automatically turn on to warm cold tiles just before you stroll in to your fresh brewed coffee in the morning. Soft classical music welcomes you with the sunshine slipping in through the automated blinds that adjust to welcome the morning sun.

Other elements of smart homes are about ease of communication. Centralized monitors, cameras, and intercom systems can easily be integrated to allow total access communication with a touch of a button, touch pad, PDA or even your work computer.

“We can put a number of different stand-alone automated systems in your home, but the question is, do you want to integrate them?” says Bradley Zane, owner of Bonded Systems Design in San Louis Obispo. “When all of these systems are cobbled together and operated out of one server, it really makes it nice for the home owner.”

Zane adds that even people who are self-confirmed Luddites, who are resistant to this technology, get used to it and really end up loving the comfort and convenience it provides. When those same people end up changing houses, one of the first questions they ask is, when will the new home automation systems be complete?

		Turn on house lights with your cell phone. Close your window shades remotely. Control home theater from a central location. Recall lighting scenes to create different moods. Preset temperature for hot tub on your way home. Set home lighting patterns while on vacation. Set smart sprinkler system to check weather conditions.

Remote operation is another possibility for owners of an integrated home. After receiving a call from you on your way home from work, the outside lights are turned on, the thermostat settings are changed, music begins to play softly throughout your house, and the fireplace is activated, so you arrive home to a house that’s warm and comfortable. If you want to take a relaxing bath, you simply hit some buttons on a touch screen and the lighting scene is set to something soothing, the Jacuzzi jets turn on and Mozart begins to play over your distributed audio system.

Home automation is having a big impact on the construction industry as more and more customers are asking for integrated homes.

“Home automation has brought the architect, designer and builder together in a very interesting way,” says Plaskoff. “In the past, even in design build firms such as ours, where architect, designer and builder work in concert on behalf of the owner, the connection between design and construction was generally bridged by budget considerations and the value engineering of projects. Home automation has created a new bridge – the need to communicate the design and architectural requirements of lighting, climate control, sound and security with the building requirements of how to integrate these needs into a system that speaks to and complements each requirement.”

These requirements need to be designed with an understanding of how to wire, install and connect them. Solid communication between the members of the design build team is required in order to make the system efficient and effective.

Home automation technology has been evolving over the years and is now becoming far less expensive and more user-friendly. Whereas it used to be found exclusively in very large, high-end homes, it’s now becoming more common in smaller homes. “It was unheard of to have these systems in homes that were less than 8,000 square-feet 15 years ago,” says Zane. “Now I have people putting them in 2,000 square-foot homes.”

Many baby boomers are down-sizing to smaller homes, but they still want those homes outfitted with the latest home automation gadgetry that they’re used to in their larger homes. A similar trend exists for people who are buying or building their second or third homes and want those homes automated just like their first home.

“When you have people who own homes with these systems in them and they go and build new homes, these systems provide such comfort and convenience that these are line items right at the top of the budget list, just like your appliances or kitchen cabinets,” says Zane.

Whether it’s your dream to own a big, smart home that does everything, or you simply want to add more convenience, comfort and safety to your current home, home automation technology is worth exploring. You may be surprised to discover the wide variety of user-friendly systems now available that can enhance your home living experience. The systems are so state-of-the art now, that depending on your needs and budget, the sky’s the limit.

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