4.1. Integrated system

One of the most important points that we endeavour to achieve with an integrated home system is integration. A good integrated home system has to be able to integrate all kinds of standalone equipment and subsystems in the home so that mutual communication is possible. That does not mean however that all intelligence must now be given a place in the integrated home system. Preferably not in fact. Communication between the different systems has to be encouraged, however.

A modern heating boiler already has its own intelligence in order to adjust the water temperature, taking account of the outside temperature. The integrated home system should not take over this intelligence. What we do want is that when we leave the home and issue an “all out” command, the heating system knows it can switch to a reduced heating mode in all rooms of the home. As a result, the resident does not have to go to every thermostat in order to set it to night mode manually.

Integration also means that one and the same operating system can operate a variety of equipment. An example of this is the universal remote control, with which we not only operate the television and the system, but also the lighting and roll-down shutters. In this way we get rid of many separate remote controls. They can go into the cupboard and the fruit back in the fruit bowl.

The remote controls in the fruit bowl make way for the fruit. (Illustration source: Niko)