Automation is the process of taking many “control systems” in a home or business and given them a single point of control while allowing complete interactivity with critical and non critical systems. Common household items include thermostats, pool controls, irrigation controllers, lighting, security, cameras and more. A fully featured system will also integrate controls for all of your entertainment systems as well. Well designed systems allow flexibility not only in design, but allow the integrator to add customized functionality. Imagine have a single button labeled “Entertain”, now when pressed from the remote, iPad/iphone or touch screen controller the result is the thermostats resetting to 72 degrees, the lights turn on in the areas of the dwelling where the primary entertaining will be engaged, shutting down lighting in areas that are not to be occupied, the spa and water features turn on in the pool, the pool lighting is also turned on, the whole house audio system engages and turns on the speakers, sets the source and volume in the entertain areas, the flat screens turn on to apple TV showing off your favorite photos….You get the picture? To do this manually would have been a length process with different remotes, visiting each and every room to set lighting modes, finding the pool controller (hoping the battery was recharged after last use) and spending far more time than setting the environment with a programmed system and one button push.
Automation is ideal for businesses as well. No longer do you have key staff running around setting lights, audio and video…You will have a repeatable experience each and every time a button is pushed.
Automation serves many purposes and in our next article we will delve further into the advantages of a central automation system.