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Home Automation
Systems
Since the mid-1980s, several major
participants in the housing, large appliance, and electrical control industries
have pursued the idea of an integrated home automation system. Ideally, such a
system monitors and operates many different functions within the home. Lighting,
heating, cooling, ventilation, appliances, entertainment, and security can all
be operated automatically. The homeowner programs, controls, or monitors the
house by keyboard, "touch screen" controls, or even by telephone.
These systems have many similarities with building automation systems used in
commercial buildings. Systems for the residential market, however, require mass
production and simple installation. A minimal amount of custom engineering and
installation is desirable. In many cases, automatic control is economically
justified for only a few functions.
Types of Systems
There are three types of home automation
controls: individual control devices, distributed-control systems, and
centrally controlled systems.
Individual devices control only one
appliance or function. Examples include programmable setback thermostats,
motion detectors, occupancy sensors, photocell lighting controls, and timers.
Individual control devices have a wide variety of successful applications.
These range from outdoor lighting to security sensors. The familiar television
remote control unit often falls into this category. Remote control devices are
not truly home automation devices, however, since they require conscious
thought and human effort (however small) to operate.
A distributed-control system uses
standard power line wiring, telephone wire (4 pair), video wire (dual
coaxial), radio frequency (RF) signals, and infrared (IR) signals. This makes
it easier to retrofit the system into existing homes. Microchip controls
(actuators, interfaces, and sensors) must be installed in appliances or
outlets. The system allows individual appliances to communicate with each
other over the existing electrical wiring without a central controller
(although keyboard entry is possible using telephones or personal computers).
Users can use a television set to monitor the system's status. These form a
local area network or home LAN. Compatible appliances are necessary, but
currently it is up to the individual manufacturers to decide how to make them
compatible. The major development in this direction has come from the
Electronic Industries Association (EIA). The Association developed a standard
communications protocol (CEBus) which will allow appliances and modems from
different manufacturers to communicate with each other. Individual
semiconductor manufacturers have developed microchips that could be installed
in appliances. You can obtain information about CEBus-compatible appliances
from the EIA or the CEBus Industry Council (see Source List below).
A centrally controlled communication
system routes signals between a central computer and appliance controllers or
environmental sensors. The main advantage of this system is that it can
control some "dumb" appliances as well as "smart"
appliances. If the controller fails, however, the whole system fails. The
major distinction in "smart" home technology is the way electricity
is distributed throughout the home. A central control system allots incoming
household electricity to a distribution unit in each room of the house. The
distribution unit (or network box), does not provide power to the room's
outlets indiscriminately, as in a conventional home. The new outlets contain
microprocessor chips that only provide power upon request by a
"smart" appliance. "Smart" appliances have microprocessor
chips that enable them to "communicate" their identity, power
demands, and functional status to the network box when the appliance is
plugged in. If the computer system determines that all is well, the network
box sends power to that outlet. If the network senses potential danger, such
as a frayed cord, or appliance incompatibility, the system denies power to the
outlet. An outlet is only "live" when utilized by a compatible
appliance.
These systems perform similar functions
with natural gas. Gas outlets can be placed strategically throughout the
house, using easy-to-install semi-rigid stainless steel piping. Any appliance
requiring gas, like a stove, outdoor grill, or clothes' dryer, could be
"plugged in," accessing gas from the system as it requires it. The
"smart" gas outlets constantly monitor for leaks, improper
connections, and other malfunctions, and deny gas to the outlet when the
situation is unsafe. The most attractive feature of this system is that the
interactive household system would automatically detect smoke and shut off the
flow of gas from the main valve. This prevents gas-fueled house fires or
explosions.
The idea of a "smart house"
package for new homes was conceived by the National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB) in 1984. Research and development have been continued by an
offshoot of that project called the Smart House Limited Partnership. They
currently sell a complete wiring system for new smart house construction.
Although they have developed and marketed a number of complete intelligent
systems, with a variety of options, complete systems can be very expensive.
Except for low-end security systems with some lighting and climate control
added, they are targeted at the new luxury home market.
Energy Savings from Home Automation
Systems
Much of home automation system marketing is
based upon its "space-age" technology. (Security, fire safety, and
home entertainment systems figure prominently in brochures and advertisements
in magazines that describe this technology.) Vendors believe that the
technology of home automation systems will also save significant amounts of
energy. Direct savings come from automatic shut-off features and occupancy
sensors. The potential for indirect savings through participation in utility
load-shifting programs or time-of-use rates is even greater.
Photosensor, Occupancy, and Remote
Control of Lighting and Appliances
When used as individual device controllers,
these technologies have a proven track record of energy savings. They are also
the first energy-saving applications in home automation systems. Occupancy
sensor technologies save the automated house owner energy and money by
limiting lighting, appliance, and space conditioning use when rooms or zones
are unoccupied for a certain length of time. Photosensors adjust the lighting
in a room to take advantage of daylight. When tied to a home automation
system, heating, cooling, and ventilation systems (HVAC) can be adjusted to
account for passive solar heat gains. Systems connected to a home automation
system can also be turned on by telephone, so the home is comfortable when the
owner arrives.
Load Shifting and Load Management
One energy-saving option is peak-load
shifting. Many "smart" appliances are programmable, so that
homeowners can take advantage of lower utility rates at times when the demand
on the utility is low (some utilities already offer off-peak rates to certain
customers). Further developments are expected. In the future, houses with home
automation will "communicate" with utilities so that certain
appliances (washers, water heaters, HVAC) are automatically deactivated during
the peak demand periods. Many utilities are experimenting with real-time
pricing methods. This concept involves directly tying the marginal price of
electricity to the marginal cost of producing it. Your home automation
computer would receive the real time price of electricity (or gas) from the
utility. It would then operate the house in the most cost-effective way
(according to pre-programmed instructions).
Staged Power Return
Another utility interactive feature that
home automation supporters expect to be popular with utilities is an option
for "staged power return" after blackouts. It requires a great deal
of energy for utilities to restart a power plant after a power failure,
particularly in summer when many air conditioners run continuously. With a
staged return of power, utilities can control the rate at which power returns
after a blackout, first issuing electricity to essential home appliances, such
as heating or refrigeration, then to the remaining appliances.
Thermal Storage
Heat, generated by conventional or
renewable means during off-peak hours, can be stored in ceramic bricks, water,
or other storage media. Chilled water tanks or ice storage provide a similar
function in summer cooling seasons. Optimization of storage and release of
thermal energy by computers is a common strategy for large commercial and
industrial facilities. Home automation systems would make it more feasible to
operate such systems on a residential scale.
Zoned and Programmable HVAC
Home automation systems also control
temperature within different zones of a home. They operate as programmable
thermostats and regulate household temperatures on a room-by-room basis,
instead of the whole house. For example, rooms in which the family spends a
great deal of time can be allotted heat on a more regular basis than
seldom-used rooms. When hooked up to occupancy sensors, the zones are only
activated when occupied. In one high-tech application, people carry sensors
that are programmed to their personal preferences. The system reads these when
people enter a room and adjust the environment accordingly. The possibilities
are limited only by the imagination.
Air Quality
In many tightly constructed,
energy-efficient homes, air quality and ventilation are a concern. While heat
recovery ventilators recover most of the heat from exhausted air, a home
automation system could control the ventilation system to operate only when
the house is occupied. Additional sensors could control the humidity as well.
Bibliography
The following publications and articles are
sources of additional information on home automation technology. This list was
updated in October 1997.
Books
Understanding & Installing Home
Systems: How to Automate Your Home, D. Gaddis, Home Systems Network, Inc.,
1993. Available from Home Systems Network (see Source List below). 140 pp.,
$29.95.
Articles
"Arizona Firm Introduces 'TABS'
Totally Automated Building System," Air Conditioning, Heating, &
Refrigeration News, (195:12) p. 20, July 17, 1995.
"Automatically Yours: Deliverables in
Home Automation," C. Antinori, Home Energy, (8:4) pp. 7-8,
July/August 1991.
"Boosting Your Home's IQ;
Manufacturers Agree on Standards for Creating the Smart House," P.
Elmer-DeWitt, Time, (133:4) pp. 70-72, January 23, 1989.
"The Future Is Now," M. Morris, Popular
Science, (240:2) pp. 56-60, 84, February 1992.
"Get Smart?" M. Stapp, Homes
Today, (1:3) pp. 12-19, 1994.
"Inside the Smart House," J.
Germer, Progressive Builder, (12:1) pp. 33-34, January 1987.
"The Integrated Automated Educated
House," V. Gilmore, Popular Science, (236:6) p. 104, June 1990.
"Remote Possibilities," M. Phair,
Home Mechanix, (86:751) pp. 58-61, December/January 1991.
"Second Smart House," H.
Shuldine, Popular Science, (234:3) p. 87, March 1989.
"Slow Going for Smart Homes," R.
Langreth, Popular Science, (242:2) pp. 61-63, 90, February 1993.
"Smart Homes: Just Around the
Corner?" K. Heinemeir, Home Energy, (7:1) January/February 1990.
"Automatically Yours: Deliverables in
Home Automation", Home Energy, (8:4) July/August 1991.
"Technology Update: Wired for
Speed," B. Kirby, Good Cents, (6:3) pp. 10-14, May/June 1996.
"U.S., Japan, Europe: The World's
Smartest Houses," V. Gilmore, Popular Science, (237:3) pp. 56-65,
102, September 1990.
Sources of Information
Canadian Automated Buildings Association (CABA)
Building M-20, 1500 Montreal Road
Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0R6
Phone: (888) 798-2222 or (613) 990-7407; Fax: (613) 954-5984
Internet: (World Wide Web) http://www.caba.org;
(E-mail) caba@caba.org
CABA publishes the Home & Building Automation QUARTERLY. An annual
subscription is $99.00 (U.S.).
CEBus Industry Council
4405 Massachusetts Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46218
Phone: (317) 545-6243; Fax: (317) 545-6237
Internet: (World Wide Web) http://www.cebus.org;
(E-mail) cebus-staff@cebus.org
Electronic Industries Association (EIA)
2500 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: (703) 907-7500; Fax: (703) 907-7601
Internet: (World Wide Web) http://www.eia.com
Home Automation Association
1444 I Street NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 712-9050; Fax: (202) 216-9446
Internet: (E-mail) 75250.1274@compuserve.com
Home Systems Network, Inc.
601 North Kelly Avenue, Suite 105
Edmond, OK 73003
Phone: (405) 330-0718; Fax: (405) 348-3855
Internet: (World Wide Web) http://www.hometeam.com;
(E-mail) comments@smartthorne.com
National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA)
419 1st Street, SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
Phone: (319) 366-4164
Smart House Inc.,
4630 Paragon Park Road
Raleigh, NC 27616
Phone: (919) 872-8553
Home Automated Living
Shriver Communications
14311 Old Columbia Pike
Burtonsville, MD 20866
Phone: (800) 935-5313; Fax: (301) 384-8275
Internet: (World Wide Web) http://www.AutomatedLiving.com;
(E-mail) info@AutomatedLiving.com
Home Automation, Inc.
2709 Ridgelake Drive
Metairie, LA 70002
Phone: (504) 833-7256, Fax: (504) 833-7258
Internet: (World Wide Web) http://www.homeauto.com;
(E-mail) sales@homeauto.com
Sentinel Systems, Inc.
716 Blue Crab Rd., Suite A
Newport News, VA 23606
Phone: (800) 822-2774, (757) 873-4455 Fax: (757) 873-4119
Internet: (World Wide Web) http://www.sentinelonline.com;
(E-mail) sentinlsys@aol.com
For additional on-line details, visit the
following Internet World Wide Website:
http://www.electronichouse.com/
EREC is operated by NCI Information
Systems, Inc. for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory/U.S. Department of
Energy. The statements contained herein are based on information known to EREC
at the time of printing. No recommendations or endorsement of any product or
service is implied if mentioned by EREC.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Clearinghouse (EREC)
P.O. Box 3048 Merrifield, VA 22116
Voice: 1-800-DOE-EREC
E-mail: doe.erec@nciinc.com
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