The Builder, with whom we have a great working relationship, approached us with a large residential build he was about to begin. The clients had some very specific design parameters and integration wishes that they wanted to incorporate into their build.
Prior to that they wanted to ensure they were selecting the correct Integration Firm. We interviewed with the clients, followed by tours of other homes we had completed on this scale. This vetting process also involved them talking to many of our previous clients to get real world feedback on not only our execution abilities, but also our follow up and after install levels of service and support.
We were selected and the project expectations were established. The clients expected a home with full distributed audio and video, theater room, full lighting and shade control, integration of all subsystems, (HVAC, Pool/Spa, Security, Fireplace, Gate Control and Water Feature Control) as well as a request to integrate a very large back up generator for the home.
Remote access to all integrated systems was paramount given the client’s busy work and travel schedules. Ease of use and intuitiveness were also a main directive.
The Build
The Integrated systems span all areas and every room within this three level 18 000 square foot residence including the indoor pool and outdoor areas. These sub systems include, Lighting Control, Shading, HVAC Control, Humidity Monitoring, Generator Monitoring, Security, CCTV, Pool/Spa, Gate Control, Theater, Audio and Video.
The system consists of 231 Lighting, Fan and Motor loads, 51 Motorized window treatments (21 Roller shades, 21 Roman shades and 9 Drapery Tracks), 24 HD Security Cameras, Full Security System with 2 partitions and 50 zones, 23 HVAC zones, Humidity Monitoring, Temperature monitoring, Gate Control, Garage Door Control (8 Doors), 23 zones of Video, 25 zones of Distributed Audio and a full Anamorphic Theater Room.
All Equipment is housed in three large racks in a dedicated conditioned rack room as well as in structured panels (both network and Lutron enclosures) throughout the home’s 5 mechanical rooms. All wires were run within a closed wire trough and piped through metal conduit to the lighting panels, there are absolutely no unsightly wires on any mechanical room wall or ceiling above.
Control of this large residence is from strategically placed in wall and valet style touch panels as well as the client’s smart phones and web tablets. Lutron keypads are located throughout the home and feature lighting scenes and local shade control.
This project was engineered from the drawing phase forward; all aspects of the project were executed with no issues. The only one item that didn’t go as planned in terms of timing was weather delays in finishing the vast landscaping on the property. This slightly delayed our execution of the home’s very large outdoor landscape audio system. In the end the weather cooperated and the project was completed.
The Experience
When you couple a passionate, dedicated Integration Firm with a project like this, the results are quite astonishing. We were not only able to integrate items that rarely seen in a residential application, but we did it multiple times over on a grand scale.
The on site 300kw Diesel fired back up generator serves the entire Estate and feeds every circuit in the 600 Amp service in the event of a Utility grid failure. We were tasked with the Integration of the feedback and status from the generator, this was to be available on any touch panel, smart phone or web tablet, while at home or from anywhere in the world.. We designed an interface that gives real time feedback, warnings and email alerts for Low Fuel, General Trouble codes and Not in Auto Mode. We also monitor and take feedback from the automatic transfer switch. Feedback consists of, Transfer switch not in auto mode, Transfer switch failed to transfer, Load on generator and Load on utility.
The Home network consists of Three VLANs, one for the VOIP phone system, one for the 24 HD Camera System and one for all Data traffic. Enterprise Class Layer Three switches and a managed wireless LAN controller were also used in the network and wifi implementation.
In the Anamorphic Theater Room a press of a hidden button within the front mill work motorizes open a concealed door to reveal something that is the true show stopper. Three full size equipment racks levitating off the floor, held on a custom made cradle that motorizes back and forth in its room when servicing or upgrading is required. The cradle glides on steel I beams, held in place and riding on the same wheels that are used on roller coaster tracks. The overhead I Beams are welded to structural steel bolted into the Home’s foundation and adjacent walls. All the wiring for the home’s Automation system and Theater Room is cascaded into the hanging rack assembly on industrial Cable management cat tracks to prevent binding or pinching when the rack assembly is moved back and forth.
Full control and feed back is available from the home’s 23 HVAC zones, the system also monitors humidity. Real time Humidity feed back was critical given the amount of exotic woods used throughout the home on floors and cabinetry. Email alerts are generated if humidity falls above or below set parameters.
We custom built an Interface for Pool and Spa circulation pumps, temperature settings, Lighting, Pool Waterfall, Spa jets and Spa temperature. The homes outdoor landscape water features are also fully controllable on the system. As per the client’s expectations these controls are accessible and addressable from anywhere.
The driveway loop sensor is tied into our system; it chimes through all speakers in and around the home when a vehicle drives over it. If it is past sunset the system will turn on the driveway and main entrance lighting.
Towel warmers were integrated into the system and can be turned on before shower entry; they will time out automatically after 45 minutes to ensure they are never left on. The master ensuite marble shower seat begins warming one hour before the clients wake in order to heat the slab to just the right temperature. We integrated all 8 fireplaces in the home into our system, a nice feature on cold nights when you don’t want to get off the couch. Control and status of all 8 garage doors are within the system. The system will not allow remote opening off a garage door if the security system is armed, it will prompt the use to first disarm the system so as not to trigger and alarm code.
Televisions are hidden throughout various rooms of the home. In the upper loft an LED TV is tastefully concealed behind a Media Décor motorized painting. In the ensuite, His and Her mirror TV’s appear when desired above each sink. In the Bar, a large TV remains hidden until the big game starts, and then it appears and steals center stage.
The Home’s Elevator has its own zone of audio that plays actual recorded elevator music. An outdoor TV on the BBQ patio ensures you don’t miss the game while cooking.
Almost all speakers throughout the home are Invisible. Stealth Acoustic speakers were chosen for their ability to reproduce a broad frequency range while being heard but not seen.
Completing this hidden, design friendly theme are Trufig Outlets in all Marble backsplashes, faux painted to match the surrounding marble. Even more Trufig outlets that we had Real Wood veneered and book matched to the surrounding exotic woods disappear in the Master Ensuite, Kitchen, Butler’s Pantry and Library. All in ceiling HVAC Supply and Fan grates are done with Trufig for amazingly clean ceiling lines.
Form and Function coexist in perfect harmony in this fully integrated, show stopping Residence
The Outcome
An Integrated Home like no other shrouds its vast array of technology behind well thought out design and systems of intricate engineering. Guests are enticed to try and infer what the next hidden piece of technology will be and where it may reveal itself. Any system the home has to offer is available at your fingertips, Presented via one simple platform across all devices.
