A/V Solution & Automation Integration By :
Mr.Bhuvan Gosain, Partner ELMEC, Crabtree Home Automation By Havells
This residence resonates with modern elegance and possesses the latest smart home technology. Mr. Alok Chaurasia, CMD of GTL Infra (Group company of GTL Pvt Ltd) had a clear vision in mind for this residence.
Mr. Chaurasia’s initial skepticism, about embedding an IoT-enabled Home Automation solution into a home, washed away after the several detailed discussions & meetings with Crabtree Home Automation Solution [Havells System Integration partner, M/S ELMEC].
The Scope of Work
The project involved complete automation of the residence including lighting, fans, shades/curtains, air conditioning, water heating, fountains, audio zoning, and home theatre. The scope of work included planning and design of the complete automation solution including:
- Lighting Design and automation
- HVAC integration
- Audio Zoning and Distribution
- 20-Seater Home Theatre Design & implementation
- Complete Networking Solution
- Security and Video Door Phone
- Complete Voice Control
- Complete integration on a Single Platform
The Client’s Vision
The client wanted a state-of-the-art, fully integrated smart home that would make life comfortable, with easy-to-use controls. He further desired a premium luxurious feel to his home, with a scalable automation solution to accommodate any future innovations & expansion.
Challenges Faced
The biggest challenge of all in executing large-scale home automation projects is the coordination with different vendors. Each vendor has to be aligned in tandem to ensure the end product is as per the customer’s vision.
Automations Integrated
The complete backend of the automation was designed with Crabtree’s Buspro Wired Technology. All control Modules including Relays, Dimmers, IR Emitters, Fan control Modules, Curtain Controllers, Curtain Motors & Tracks, and Programming Gateways were from Crabtree.
All Bedrooms were equipped with Crabtree DLP keypads with inbuilt Thermostats with 2 iTouch keypads on both bedsides. The common areas were equipped with Crabtree’s Full touch enviro keypads with inbuilt thermostats.
A total of eight zones were created for ambient music. Control 4’s Eight Zone Audio Matrix and Eight Zone Power Amps are used for Audio Zoning, complemented with Bose Ceiling and Wall Speakers.
For the security aspect, all entry doors had Yale smart door locks and Hikvision IP cameras installed. More cameras were placed at all critical locations to ensure complete coverage.
The entire backend networking was done using Ubiquiti-managed switches and Unifi access points, to create a seamless Wi fi network across all three floors.
Control 4’s DS2 door station serves as the primary doorbell, along with Control 4’s intercom service delivering the doorbell’s visual & sound directly to the client’s smartphone.
The 20-Seater Home Theatre was fitted with Bose professional loudspeakers, subwoofers (9.2), and amplifiers, a Denon AVR connected all speakers to achieve a total immersive Dolby Atmos effect.
A Sony 4K Projector, delivers a massive 300-inch display onto an Elite ALR Fixed Frame Screen. A DUNE HD player allowed for a movie library and an Apple TV 4K for all streaming entertainment.
The home’s other heavy loads including geysers and fountain motors were powered with Havells double pole contactors and relays were used to automate them.
All the automation was integrated into a single app using Control4 EA5 Controller to provide the client with a single UI to operate and monitor his home.
Eventual Outcomes – The Project Phases
Planning: The first phase involves understanding the client’s requirements and a study of the drawings to map out the areas where automation is required, and the elements needed to be covered. A budget was crafted with all the information provided, creating a BOQ that delivered the maximum performance cost-effectively.
Design: The design process began when an ELMEC team started work on the wiring SLDs, server areas, and automation DB’s. The lighting design included phase-cut dimming along with normal switching.
Once the speakers locations were decided and networking endpoints were mapped, the home theatre layout was finalized.
Implementation: The technical team worked in coordination with the interior team to put all wiring in place as per design. Once all the hardware items including lighting, speakers, Server racks, DB’s, automation modules, etc were installed, all the keypads were programmed and set in place.
Testing: A double-check of all terminal points, connections, and powering up of all devices was conducted. All of the automatic integrations were well tested to ensure the seamless working of all components including Lighting, HVAC, curtains, AV equipment, and security devices. The keypads were thoroughly tested for proper functioning.
Handover: The residence was handed over after a dedicated day’s coaching session for the family to completely utilize and understand the capability of an integrated Home Automation Solution.
Final Takeaway
The importance of pre-planning everything to the minutest detail becomes highly crucial when executing an automation and AV system for a large-scale residence. Increasing the amount of time spent on the designing phase of the project reduces errors during execution and testing, and also ensures that the project stays within the estimated expenses.
