Smart Homes

[Paul]

Has anyone gone full smart home or even dipped their toes? What are the benefits? Why would this be a good way to go for me? All views welcome. Ta. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

32 minutes ago, Paul said:

Has anyone gone full smart home or even dipped their toes? What are the benefits? Why would this be a good way to go for me? All views welcome. Ta. 

I’ve been doing quite a bit of research lately, Paul. There’s a couple of really good YouTube channels that I’ll update the post with in a bit. There’s a few things I’ve had my eye on. The thermostat is really nifty, and I really like the smart locks and the doorbells. Lights are good but honestly feel a bit weird to me, unless you’re into the colours. Deciding which ecosystem you sign on to is important, so you know you can get everything to work well together. 

[Paul]

Nice one. I’m definitely interested in opinions on products etc, but I’m more interested in why a generic smart home is a good thing. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

1 minute ago, Paul said:

Nice one. I’m definitely interested in opinions on products etc, but I’m more interested in why a generic smart home is a good thing. 

Well, I think you have to work out what a smart home is. Really, it’s about tailoring smart products to your needs in the home. Some people will get great value out of some things whilst others just wouldn’t get any benefit out of others. 
 

I think there’s definitely some ‘that’s cool’ factor to cut through, but for me a ‘smart’ product should bring something to make life easier, more efficient, or give you more control. So, for example, smart plugs give you not only the ability to turn on/off your devices from anywhere, they also monitor how much electricity they consume and give info about when/how long they’re on. You can also control them on a schedule or a routine.
 

Then there’s a smart doorbell, which is a big draw for me, let’s you view who is at the door from anywhere, even when you’re out. It can record everyone who comes to the door and recognise certain people. Smart locks allow you to lock and unlock from anywhere. Give codes out, or unlock for others as well as give you alerts about when it’s used. Smart security systems that monitor each window and door, sending you alerts and live feeds. 

 

So, I guess a generic answer is that it (is supposed to) give you either more functionality and/or make something easier. How that works for you isn’t really a specific things. If you’re somebody who uses the heating/air con a lot, a smart thermostat might make sense. I never turn the fucker on. If you have no security concerns then you might not utilise a doorbell/cam, but if you’re out a lot then it gives a load of functionality. That sort of thing. 
 

As for specifics... here’s a couple of videos.

 

 

 

[Bobby Hundreds]

Echos and smart lights/tv is about as far as I've gone. Not sure about anything with a camera on it yet and I'm definitely not interested in digital locks.

[Captain Turdseye]

I’ve got a couple of smart plugs which connect to my Google Home speaker and make the fan and the lamp in the living room voice activated. 
 

I had a Chromecast set up too to make Netflix, iPlayer, etc on the telly voice activated but it’s not great. I ended up reaching for the remote anyway to find exactly what I was looking for. I moved that into the kids room because they think it’s great and they’ve got another Google Home in there. Also got them one of those smart bulbs so that their bedroom light is voice activated and they can dim it, change the colour and set it to disco mode. Mrs Turdseye has made them promise not to have the light turned on red in the evenings. 
 

All those thermostats, doorbells, kitchen appliances and stuff look absolutely mad. I’d love to try them but I’m in a rented house so most of it is out of the question. 

[Scooby Dudek]

I installed Evohome heating (honeywell) in the house approx 3 years ago;

 

https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/best-smart-thermostat

 

Number 3 on the list above. 

Their full review below.

https://www.techradar.com/uk/reviews/honeywell-evohome

 

 

The big difference with Evohome and most, is you can control each radiator (zone) independently of each other. You effectively fit a Smart TRV to each radiator which communicates directly with the control console/boiler to control the temperature there. 

Whilst you can use an app or voice control (Alexa etc) it also comes with a little touchscreen unit which you can use to control it all, so good for family who don't have/want app on their phone.

You can effectively program when each zone comes on and off numerous times during the day. i.e set for bedroom to go 10 mins before you wake up, with living room 10 mins later and turn bedroom off when you go downstairs, so you wake in a warm room and go downstairs to a warm room but don't switch heating on anywhere else. You can also install an additional sensor if you have a hot water tank. 

 

From a personal point of view it is a pain to install and set up (I did this myself, so obviously different if someone installs for you) but once up and running is really good. I like it a lot and believe we have saved money over the time we have had it. It is expensive compared to other systems, due to having to buy Smart TRV for each radiator. We initially bought a starter kit with everything required plus four TRV and then added additional TRV as and when. 

It is possible to manually override each TRV by turning locally on the radiator, just like a normal valve. 

 

One of the addition reasons for going with Honeywell is they also have Smart Security products,, which are all integrated with the same app. I have not bought any of this stuff yet. 

 

 

 

I have Philips hue also and I mainly use Alexa to control this and the Evohome controller to control the heating/hot water. It is a lot but simply, I like the fact I can put the hot water on without leaving the couch or put the bedroom heating on just before going to bed etc. and couldn't imagine not having it. 

 

We have a hot water tank, so even being able to check water temp, see it is 30 degrees and enough for a shower, so no need to just "pop the boiler on for a bit" has saved a lot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rushies tash]

6 minutes ago, Scooby Dudek said:

I installed Evohome heating (honeywell) in the house approx 3 years ago;

 

https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/best-smart-thermostat

 

Number 3 on the list above. 

Their full review below.

https://www.techradar.com/uk/reviews/honeywell-evohome

 

 

The big difference with Evohome and most, is you can control each radiator (zone) independently of each other. You effectively fit a Smart TRV to each radiator which communicates directly with the control console/boiler to control the temperature there. 

Whilst you can use an app or voice control (Alexa etc) it also comes with a little touchscreen unit which you can use to control it all, so good for family who don't have/want app on their phone.

You can effectively program when each zone comes on and off numerous times during the day. i.e set for bedroom to go 10 mins before you wake up, with living room 10 mins later and turn bedroom off when you go downstairs, so you wake in a warm room and go downstairs to a warm room but don't switch heating on anywhere else. You can also install an additional sensor if you have a hot water tank. 

 

From a personal point of view it is a pain to install and set up (I did this myself, so obviously different if someone installs for you) but once up and running is really good. I like it a lot and believe we have saved money over the time we have had it. It is expensive compared to other systems, due to having to buy Smart TRV for each radiator. We initially bought a starter kit with everything required plus four TRV and then added additional TRV as and when. 

It is possible to manually override each TRV by turning locally on the radiator, just like a normal valve. 

 

One of the addition reasons for going with Honeywell is they also have Smart Security products,, which are all integrated with the same app. I have not bought any of this stuff yet. 

 

 

 

I have Philips hue also and I mainly use Alexa to control this and the Evohome controller to control the heating/hot water. It is a lot but simply, I like the fact I can put the hot water on without leaving the couch or put the bedroom heating on just before going to bed etc. and couldn't imagine not having it. 

 

We have a hot water tank, so even being able to check water temp, see it is 30 degrees and enough for a shower, so no need to just "pop the boiler on for a bit" has saved a lot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've got the Honeywell alarm system in my house. Big pluses are that it was relatively cheap, easy to install, works when power is cut to the house and has a SIM card which texts up to 3 phones if the alarm gets triggered. However, it feels dated, the app is very basic and a little slow, and the camera sensor resolution is poor. It works well enough for me not to need to replace it anytime soon, and you get what you pay for I suppose.

 

Was going to invest in a Ring camera system to supplement it, but having second thoughts after watching the documentary on Amazon.

[Numero Veinticinco]

1 hour ago, Rushies tash said:

I've got the Honeywell alarm system in my house. Big pluses are that it was relatively cheap, easy to install, works when power is cut to the house and has a SIM card which texts up to 3 phones if the alarm gets triggered. However, it feels dated, the app is very basic and a little slow, and the camera sensor resolution is poor. It works well enough for me not to need to replace it anytime soon, and you get what you pay for I suppose.

 

Was going to invest in a Ring camera system to supplement it, but having second thoughts after watching the documentary on Amazon.

I think the google nest doorbell is better anyway. Looks boss in that video I posted above. 

[Strontium]

My MIL moved to Lytham a couple of weeks ago, the new home has a Nest system and she hasn't got a clue how to work it. Hope this helps.

[Pureblood]

It didn't end well in Gremlins 2. The world's first smart building. 

[Karl_b]

I think a lot of it is gimmicky but I'm very interested in smart buildings on larger scale. 

 

Domestically I think having control over heating and lighting in individual rooms and the house is a good idea and will help reduce energy bills and create more resilient energy networks. I'm less convinced over locks and cameras, etc but whatever people want to do I guess. 

 

Non-domestically, smart buildings are huge part of how we achieve a net-zero carbon society. Building Management Systems are used to control heating, lighting, power, etc on a larger scale and can make huge energy and carbon savings by monitoring room occupancy, temperature, CO2 levels, etc.

 

On a wider scale again, smart energy networks will help us redistribute energy, from renewable sources, to where it's needed to cope with peaks and troughs. Battery storage in both situations will also be important.

 

Eventually we'll stop wiring houses up with conventional electrical cable and use a combination of Ethernet and USB to provide ubiquitous power and connectivity to our homes, effectively making them plug and play. That's the dream for the next house project, when I design and build one from scratch!

Edited June 10, 2020 by Karl_b

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, Karl_b said:

I think a lot of it is gimmicky but I'm very interested in smart buildings on larger scale. 

 

Domestically I think having control over heating and lighting in individual rooms and the house is a good idea and will help reduce energy bills and create more resilient energy networks. I'm less convinced over locks and cameras, etc but whatever people want to do I guess. 

 

Non-domestically, smart buildings are huge part of how we achieve a net-zero carbon society. Building Management Systems are used to control heating, lighting, power, etc on a larger scale and can make huge energy and carbon savings by monitoring room occupancy, temperature, CO2 levels, etc.

 

On a wider scale again, smart energy networks will help us redistribute energy, from renewable sources, to where it's needed to cope with peaks and troughs. Battery storage in both situations will also be important.

 

Eventually we'll stop wiring houses up with conventional electrical cable and use a combination of Ethernet and USB to provide ubiquitous power and connectivity to our homes, effectively making them plug and play. That's the dream for the next house project, when I design and build one from scratch!

You architects and your pie in the sky ideas!

[Karl_b]

12 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

You architects and your pie in the sky ideas!

Mate, it's all doable! I have a project starting on site later this year that is as smart as they come, completely electric and all powered from the client's own solar and wind farm. They've invested in building a smart energy network and are effectively running a university campus as a living lab for towns and cities.

 

We have 5 years to ensure all buildings built by 2030 are net-zero carbon and until 2050 to get our existing stock and infrastructure right. Smart buildings won't do it all but they'll help.

 

Domestically though, not convinced it's all that without upgrading air-tightness, insulation, etc first.

[Scooby Dudek]

In relation to carbon emissions, the best thing we did was install a hot water cylinder which worked with both gas and electricity when I had work done years ago. 

Since then we have had solar panels fitted which produce electricity with any excess going back to the grid. An iboost gadget has been fitted which diverts excess electricity to the cylinder rather than to the grid. We can effectively go months without turning the hot water on, as heated via excess electricity and kept warm via cylinder insulation.

 

Storage batteries are the next project.

[Elite]

This all sounds cool as fuck but at the moment it seems like a rich man's game.

[Karl_b]

2 hours ago, Scooby Dudek said:

In relation to carbon emissions, the best thing we did was install a hot water cylinder which worked with both gas and electricity when I had work done years ago. 

Since then we have had solar panels fitted which produce electricity with any excess going back to the grid. An iboost gadget has been fitted which diverts excess electricity to the cylinder rather than to the grid. We can effectively go months without turning the hot water on, as heated via excess electricity and kept warm via cylinder insulation.

 

Storage batteries are the next project.

We extended our house last year and I looked into installing an air-source heat pump - it was going to cost £10k+. I'd have considered it if it was a full house refurbishment but I wasn't ripping a decent, relatively new heating system out. Yours sounds like a good idea and the way I think boilers will go en masse in the next 20 years but there needs to be government grants/loans to fund this and the retrofitting of our existing housing stock.

 

I actually want to design and build a co-op housing development with some friends and get completely off grid in the next 19 years. I just need to convince enough people it's not a cult.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* It is a cult.

[Furmedge]

We've got smart technology in the home.  We've got Echo's in pretty much every room (3 x bedrooms, living room and kitchen) and use them to turn on lights, plugs, change temperature of the radiators via the Hive thermostat which we can do through an app anyway and turn on and change disco lights in my daughters room (she has additonal needs and is obsessed with lights!)  We've also got a camera doorbell which is great for when you're out and acts as a deterrent of a night when the local scallies are trying car doors.  We're selling up soon and hoping the prospective buyers haven't a clue about how it works and think it's a niche selling point.  We'll obviously take all the smart bulbs with us.

[VladimirIlyich]

On 10/06/2020 at 10:52, Karl_b said:

Mate, it's all doable! I have a project starting on site later this year that is as smart as they come, completely electric and all powered from the client's own solar and wind farm. They've invested in building a smart energy network and are effectively running a university campus as a living lab for towns and cities.

 

We have 5 years to ensure all buildings built by 2030 are net-zero carbon and until 2050 to get our existing stock and infrastructure right. Smart buildings won't do it all but they'll help.

 

Domestically though, not convinced it's all that without upgrading air-tightness, insulation, etc first.

Was going to mention insulation,shoddy windows and crappily built rented and social housing properties. These places,such as our social housing, have got no chance of being upgraded anytime soon.

[Karl_b]

12 minutes ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Was going to mention insulation,shoddy windows and crappily built rented and social housing properties. These places,such as our social housing, have got no chance of being upgraded anytime soon.

We'll see a big push after 2025, I think (by when all new buildings have no excuse for being anything other than zero carbon). 80% of the UK's building stock is already built, most of it is terribly inefficient. Our legal commitments to a zero carbon economy mean that we have to do something about it, but it won't be easy.

 

Something like the Dutch 'Energiseprong' initiative is needed:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/07/dutch-eco-homes-idea-arrives-in-uk-and-cuts-energy-bills-in-half-nottingham-energiesprong

 

I spent the best part of a decade working on doing something like this to 1300+ homes (and other works) in Leeds. Technically, it's possible! The financial and political will to do it is a whole other matter because it shouldn't take that long.

 

Thinking about housing, new and refurbished, defined the first part of my career. Lately, I've been involved in 'fancier' architecture in other sectors (that I've thoroughly enjoyed and found challenging and diverse) but I'm not sure I've ever taken the same satisfaction than from what I did previously and am looking to get back in to it.

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, Karl_b said:

We'll see a big push after 2025, I think (by when all new buildings have no excuse for being anything other than zero carbon). 80% of the UK's building stock is already built, most of it is terribly inefficient. Our legal commitments to a zero carbon economy mean that we have to do something about it, but it won't be easy.

 

Something like the Dutch 'Energiseprong' initiative is needed:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jan/07/dutch-eco-homes-idea-arrives-in-uk-and-cuts-energy-bills-in-half-nottingham-energiesprong

 

I spent the best part of a decade working on doing something like this to 1300+ homes (and other works) in Leeds. Technically, it's possible! The financial and political will to do it is a whole other matter because it shouldn't take that long.

 

Thinking about housing, new and refurbished, defined the first part of my career. Lately, I've been involved in 'fancier' architecture in other sectors (that I've thoroughly enjoyed and found challenging and diverse) but I'm not sure I've ever taken the same satisfaction than from what I did previously and am looking to get back in to it.

You hit the nail on the head with the phrase 'the political will.' The tories generally only do stuff if there is something in it for them,such as some sort of claim back but with us now being out of the EU where will such schemes come from? Do they still exist?

[Numero Veinticinco]

This is getting dangerously close to 'houses' rather than 'smart houses'. 

[Karl_b]

Move it to the architecture and/or climate change thread, dweebs!

[VladimirIlyich]

11 minutes ago, Hank Moody said:

This is getting dangerously close to 'houses' rather than 'smart houses'. 

They go hand in hand mate. As Karl says,what needs to be done can be done. There are no real excuses. My daughter,son in law and new grandaughter live in a new build and already have the option to 'smarten up' their home but compared to mine it would be easier to knock mine down and rebuild to allow the smart tech to exist given how poorly insulated and built it is.