Electrical Contracting News (ECN) July 2017 | Page 49

HOME AUTOMATION & INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS
Ventilation specialist EnviroVent, for
instance, launched stand alone control for
its generation of Wi-Fi enabled mechanical
ventilation systems. Timeguard has taken
things even further and built-in the Wi-Fi
functionality into the fused spur – a wiring
unit that is fi tted every day and everywhere
by installers, and usually alongside just the
sort of appliance that householders will
want to control remotely anyway. Enter the
Wi-Fi fused spur timeswitch!
By replacing a conventional fused spur
with this Wi-Fi enabled device – wire for
wire and into the same back box – and
downloading the free App, homeowners
and landlords have remote control over
existing devices in a property. There’s no
need to buy new heaters or ventilators –
the old ones can be remotely controlled via
this new Wi-Fi enabled spur.
Timeguard has built
Wi-Fi functionality
into its fused spur
timeswitch.
B.E.G.
SPECIAL
FEATURE
One App download can control multiple
devices, such as a whole accommodation
block with shared Wi-Fi access. The App
enables you to set on and off times, add
an extra ‘boost’ hour if needed, or just
to be able to make a safety check and
see at a glance if something is on or off.
Primary users can allocate other occupants
individuals with limited control over specifi c
appliances in their room. And, of course,
this ingenious unit still also provides
essential fused spur protection for each
appliance. There’s even an IP66 version for
all those outside appliances too.
What’s next?
More and more devices are coming online.
Within the next fi ve years, every device in a
home will be connected to the Internet. That’s
great, it can bring some control and simplicity
to a lifestyle, but it can be complicated.
For now, bridging the gap of what
technology can do today versus what
consumers think it can do continues to be
a challenge.
People expect smart homes to take care
of us, and for the homes to monitor us,
remind us to take medication and call for
help if we fall. One day that will probably all be
possible – but you won’t be shopping for it this
Christmas. We need to set our expectations
to what we can experience today.
Remember too, that while these
products may be convenient, they’re not
inherently smart. They provide automation,
but they don’t provide much intelligence. You
One App download
can control
multiple devices,
such as a whole
accommodation
block with shared
Wi-Fi access.
can use a phone as a mobile light switch,
but it’s no smarter than a wall switch.
The true defi nition of a smart home is
one where there’s active intelligence and
a coordination of actions by the various
products. For instance, if the HVAC system
senses a vibration every time the furnace
turns on, it will diagnose it as a problem
with the fan and call the boiler engineer
out to fi x it. It’s intelligent because it’s
using sensor technology with algorithms to
determine the problem and how to solve it.
But until we get to that point, it’s
important for homeowners to keep in mind
what’s realistically possible today.
The lighting control professionals
Motion detectors
Occupancy detectors
Lights and
halogen floodlights
Photo electric switches
For over 40 years, B.E.G. have been helping our customers control their
lighting and HVAC to operate in the most efficient way.
 We are a German specialist developer and manufacturer
 Our products combine state of the art technology to provide the best in class
 We provide comprehensive support from product selection to commissioning
Save energy with B.E.G.
B.E.G. (UK) Ltd.
Q West, Great West Road Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 0GP
Time switches
www.beg-luxomat.com
M EMB ER
M EMB ER