| Home Automation has become possible due to | | | | with the continuing development and construction |
| the advances made in micro-electronic devices, | | | | of energy efficient homes, this as about to |
| enabling control and communication technologies to | | | | change. First-builds will incorporate building control |
| develop to the stage where they are compact, | | | | techniques as standard practise, and by their very |
| reliable and inexpensive to produce. Modern | | | | nature, will optimise even further the advantages |
| manufacturing techniques have enabled compact, | | | | that the technology has to offer. |
| relatively cheap, control modules and assemblies, | | | | On-site, alternative energy sources, wind and |
| to become available in the wholesale and retail | | | | solar, offer additional savings, and when employed |
| market places. | | | | within the home environment, will require control |
| The service providers, for all energy sources, are | | | | and storage techniques, to optimise their |
| endeavouring to monitor and control usage, at the | | | | availability to the domestic consumer. They also |
| consumer delivery point. Remote meter reading | | | | offer the added advantage that the energy |
| and control of delivery in peak periods, are | | | | requirements of the system, need not be added |
| some of the techniques being developed and | | | | to the domestic energy budget. Also in the event |
| deployed, and I am sure that we shall see the | | | | of a power-outage, essential system services can |
| same control conditions applied to water supplies | | | | still be supported. |
| soon. | | | | Air and ground heat recovery systems will also |
| Generally, however, the term Home Automation, | | | | play a prominent part in the overall management |
| is applied to control and monitoring devices, | | | | and optimisation of our usage of the limited |
| installed in the consumers' home. These vary in | | | | resources available. All buildings require ventilation, |
| their type and usage depending upon the | | | | and it is essential that the heat is recover from |
| requirements of the user, and offer the following | | | | the airflow, before it is exhausted to the outside |
| operational characteristics : | | | | environment. A heat pump is used in the |
| 1.Convenience. Users are able to sets an overall | | | | recovery, and returns this energy to the system, |
| operating condition for the premises, providing | | | | usually to the domestic hot water supply. In |
| ease of use and convenient maintainability. | | | | contrast, ground recovery systems obtain low |
| 2.Security. Providing control of access to the | | | | level energy from subterranean sources, and this |
| premises, also monitoring of fault conditions, such | | | | is transformed within the system to high level |
| as fire, flooding and errors in the system itself. | | | | energy, compatible with the temperature |
| 3.Economy. The optimisation of energy usage. | | | | requirements current at the time. |
| Most important under the present conditions of | | | | A large proportion of the energy budget for the |
| raising costs and global warming. | | | | United Kingdom will rely on alternative sources, |
| 4.Local Communication. Inter-connection of | | | | wind, solar, wave and tidal, at least for domestic |
| equipment installed within the premises, using | | | | use. However, manufacturing and renewal of the |
| mains-carrier, radio or cable, allowing discrete units | | | | infrastructure, will require a hard power option, |
| to be assembled into larger systems. | | | | most probably nuclear into the foreseeable future. |
| 5.Remote Monitoring and Control. Advances in | | | | Home automation promises to supply the answer |
| mobile, radio and internet protocols has enable the | | | | to many of our energy supply problems, and |
| extension of the system domain to remote | | | | promises to be an interesting and successful |
| locations. | | | | industry, creating employment and environmental |
| The market for these devices will increase. DIY | | | | security for the coming years. |
| installations may be prominent at present, but | | | | |