Cyberhomes Provides Whole House Automation For Sub-Basement Home

Award winning Best Whole House Integration project in Hampstead

Cyberhomes talks CE Pro Eu through its award winning Best Whole House Integration project in Hampstead, which saw the company integrate AV, heating, lighting and security controls into a Savant pro home automation system and install a home cinema into the sub-basement property.

The client for this particular project is a property developer that Cyberhomes had worked with on numerous occasions, this time enlisting the integration specialist’s help for his own home.

“We had installed the AV, automation and control systems into a number of his developments,” says Andy Mack, Cyberhomes founder and director. “It made sense then for him to turn to us when he was building his own house.”

The client wanted a multi-room audio-visual experience for his five-storey home, but when Cyberhomes demonstrated the possibilities of a single point of control for all smart technology in the property, he was inspired to go further.

Cyberhomes ended up integrating audio-visual, heating, lighting and security controls into a Savant pro home automation system. Even the flow of the customer’s poolside waterfalls can be controlled though the Savant Pro App on an iPad or smartphone.

“Savant was chosen as the most suitable as the card frame allowed for expandability,” Andy explains. “The Savant Pro App gave the home owner the most flexible way of adding custom scenes to his system without the additional expense of programming.”

This was the first project that Cyberhomes had undertaken that had a sub-basement (a multi-storey below ground living space). “This led to a variety of different rooms that you wouldn’t often find all in a single property: bar, pool, gym, cinema, etc.,” Andy reflects.

Cyberhomes’ lighting designer created smart lighting for the home—inside and out, installing a Lutron lighting control system with 36 custom-engraved wall plates.

By integrating this into the Savant Pro control system, the family can switch on or off (or dim) any light in the house or garden, with just one touch of a screen.

Lights turn on automatically whenever somebody enters a bathroom and atmospheric lighting is triggered as people pass through certain areas of the house.

When it’s time for bed, a tap of the App creates soft, gentle lighting in the corridors and stairwells to guide the family to their rooms. Outdoor lighting is tuned to an astronomic schedule, switching on as dusk approaches, and off again in the early hours when everyone is likely to be in bed.

Home Cinema

Locating the cinema off to the side of a large, open-plan basement presented some audio-visual and lighting challenges.

Cyberhomes overcame these issues by using a heavyweight blackout curtain to block out external light, while visuals are taken care of courtesy of a high-brightness Runco projector with a long-throw lens.

Cinematic sound is generated through the intelligent configuration of a multi-speaker system: two B&W speakers are positioned in the ceiling for surround effects, and three in the wall behind the acoustically transparent, 150in Seymour & Screen Excellence projection screen.

Through the Savant Pro App, anyone in the family can control the home’s smart technology via an iPad or smartphone, plus wall-mounted iPad minis have been installed on each floor. These are easily removed from their magnetic docks, which also serve as wireless chargers.

The family can also use the iPads to check home security footage: Cyberhomes installed eight IC Realtime CCTV cameras to cover every part of the property’s exterior. The system even allows the family to monitor the property remotely from their smartphones while away.

Reflecting on the challenges presented, Andy says: “We were integrating systems like CCTV, heating, security, intercom and they seemed to be a first for a number of these third parties’ products to integrate with the new Savant Pro platform. There was a lot of liaising between Cyberhomes, Savant and the third parties to successfully make this work.

“Everything has come together as a single coherent solution. All our projects integrate similar aspects but none are quite as cohesive as this extent of high class finish achieved in every room of this project.”

The client was also impressed with the outcome: “Having worked with Cyberhomes on several upmarket property development projects, I knew they could deliver the type of smart capabilities I wanted for my own home—and they didn’t disappoint.

“I like being able to take my iPhone out of my pocket to turn on the TV without looking for a series of remote controls. I like being able to turn the ensuite TV on as I’m heading upstairs. I like being lazy when my kids want to see something in the cinema room—I can set it up without having to move. And, of course, I love that I can turn all the lights out at night with a touch of just one button.”

About the Author

Alice Gustafson · Alice is an experienced CI/AV journalist. Gaining knowledge of the global install market at Pro Audio Asia, Pro Audio Middle East and Worship AVL Asia, Alice brings her considerable knowledge of the AV and install markets to CE Pro Europe and Commercial Integrator Europe. Feeding the sites with insightful daily updates from across Europe, as well as engaging with the industry across the titles’ growing social media presence, Alice is a key member of All Things Media’s growing editorial team.

Contact Alice Gustafson: alice@allthingsmedialtd.com