DOORS , WINDOWS & FITTINGS
AUTOMATED HOME
Mark and Helen McCall have always been advocates for smart home living .
Running the website ‘ Automated Home ’ for 25 years , the couple constructed their first self-build in 1999 , building on their love and knowledge of home technology as the sector grew .
Then in June 2019 , the couple started their journey toward building their second self-build , a fully automated property that would prioritise low-energy and low running costs , all integrated into one smart home system .
After finding the perfect spot in the drumlins of County Downs , close to family and already complete with planning permission for a traditional style home , the McCalls had to change the permissions to their own contemporary design and get to work on the build .
Working with 2020 Architects , based in County Antrim , the property was designed to be south facing in order to take advantage of solar gain in the main living areas , specifying six Keylite roof windows in ‘ the barn ’ – an open plan living , dining and kitchen area – and one in the first-floor landing .
The build had taken place with no major issues until March 2020 , when the site closed for ten weeks during the COVID-19 outbreak . However , despite this , the project only fell behind schedule by a few weeks , and the couple moved into their brand new , fully automated home in July 2020 .
38