Background:
I own an old house (about 270 years old) where my company and my apartment were located. As the office kept expanding with new employees being hired, I moved into a separate apartment due to space constraints.
However, this was not meant to be permanent. I wanted to have something of my own again, but this time “small but nice.”
After considering various options from tiny houses to mini houses, the decision was made to build a small semi-detached house and use one unit myself (about 65m² (700 sq ft) plus terrace and garden).
My brother is building the other semi-detached house, and both units will then be rented out.
High-quality, ecological, and sustainable construction was important to us from the start. A healthy indoor climate, photovoltaic system, heat pump, and controlled residential ventilation were therefore fixed requirements.
At first, I considered some home automation (implemented, for example, with Shelly devices installed later to control certain functions remotely).
But since our company is involved not only in general IT activities but also in software development, programming, and consulting on IT infrastructure and digitalization for larger organizations such as hospitals, and since my brother is the lead developer of a software that has been on the market for over 20 years and is the market leader in Germany in this field…
Couldn’t we do it ourselves?
Yes, we could!
“Coincidentally,” a bachelor thesis on an open (non-proprietary) smart home system was submitted to my brother (who teaches computer science at FOM among other things).
Based on this and other work that proved certain fundamentals, plus freely available information showing many other possibilities of a smart home, we formulated our requirements.
We wanted a “Smart Home” (as we understood it at the time).
We wanted to at least control lighting and blinds, have a front door with motorized lock, possibly video intercom systems, presence monitoring, etc. The wishes naturally grew as we learned what was possible. So, voice control via, for example, Alexa should also be possible (for those who find it useful).
Our key criteria were:
• Open system (no proprietary/cloud dependencies, etc.)
• All active components centralized in the distribution board if possible
• No “bus switches,” but “normal” Gira, Jung, etc. push buttons
• Affordable!
• The base programming can be quite complex (done by experts), but afterwards the system should be adjustable by “non-technical users” via a GUI (This alone could lead to lengthy discussions)
• We will do the wiring and programming ourselves (my brother and one of our partners are software developers, and I am an IT specialist)
• The wiring will be done with plenty of spare capacity and smart home compatibility.
-> Lighting circuits (lamps) all go directly to the distribution board
-> Outlets are wired room-wise to the distribution board and use 5-wire/three-phase cables so nearly any outlet can be switched later with small wiring adjustments.
-> All push buttons are connected with (plenty of) LAN cable directly to the distribution board
(Discussion about CAT7a/CAT8.x LAN cabling or 10DA took place: Result: Almost everything will be done as CAT7A duplex because, overall, it is easier to handle and cheaper for us.)
The result will soon be installed as a prototype in my unit (half a semi-detached house, about 65m² (700 sq ft)). The photo of the small sub-distribution board is only a small part of the test system currently being assembled! The Eltakos were installed only for comparison (space requirements vs. the Controllino) and will probably not be used in the finished system.
Almost anything “speaking” a smart home language can be integrated into the system via the appropriate binding.
The core hardware (the “brain” of the system) will cost about 1000 to 1500 euros (approximately $1100 to $1650). It mainly consists of the SmartHome Manager (Raspberry Pi) and Controllino Mega pure (Arduino).
The programming of OpenHub, etc. (open source) is done by our software developers/programmers.
Temperature, distance meters, motion detectors, humidity, CO2 sensors, and similar devices can easily be integrated. Small touchscreens (around 20€ (about $22)) as “cornerstone components” usually cost only a few euros.
I will be happy to report on further steps and on the prototype development once progress continues.
Notes:
The advantages of KNX are often mentioned, and some of these certainly apply. In our smart home, if the SmartHome Manager (which is also industrial hardware) fails, almost nothing works. With KNX, all unaffected subsystems continue to run. However, the example described by @Mycraft: “… It’s enough to just connect another push button to the bus cable and configure it…” is hardly feasible in practice. The user cannot do it themselves, the proverbial “unicorn” (ideal technician) is not there, and if the “system integrator” does come eventually, every small change or adjustment is extremely expensive. (These are the experiences of two people with KNX in our circle of acquaintances.)
Please do not fill this thread with pros and cons of the various systems. It only concerns “our” system based on the hardware and software components mentioned at the beginning – thanks!
I own an old house (about 270 years old) where my company and my apartment were located. As the office kept expanding with new employees being hired, I moved into a separate apartment due to space constraints.
However, this was not meant to be permanent. I wanted to have something of my own again, but this time “small but nice.”
After considering various options from tiny houses to mini houses, the decision was made to build a small semi-detached house and use one unit myself (about 65m² (700 sq ft) plus terrace and garden).
My brother is building the other semi-detached house, and both units will then be rented out.
High-quality, ecological, and sustainable construction was important to us from the start. A healthy indoor climate, photovoltaic system, heat pump, and controlled residential ventilation were therefore fixed requirements.
At first, I considered some home automation (implemented, for example, with Shelly devices installed later to control certain functions remotely).
But since our company is involved not only in general IT activities but also in software development, programming, and consulting on IT infrastructure and digitalization for larger organizations such as hospitals, and since my brother is the lead developer of a software that has been on the market for over 20 years and is the market leader in Germany in this field…
Couldn’t we do it ourselves?
Yes, we could!
“Coincidentally,” a bachelor thesis on an open (non-proprietary) smart home system was submitted to my brother (who teaches computer science at FOM among other things).
Based on this and other work that proved certain fundamentals, plus freely available information showing many other possibilities of a smart home, we formulated our requirements.
We wanted a “Smart Home” (as we understood it at the time).
We wanted to at least control lighting and blinds, have a front door with motorized lock, possibly video intercom systems, presence monitoring, etc. The wishes naturally grew as we learned what was possible. So, voice control via, for example, Alexa should also be possible (for those who find it useful).
Our key criteria were:
• Open system (no proprietary/cloud dependencies, etc.)
• All active components centralized in the distribution board if possible
• No “bus switches,” but “normal” Gira, Jung, etc. push buttons
• Affordable!
• The base programming can be quite complex (done by experts), but afterwards the system should be adjustable by “non-technical users” via a GUI (This alone could lead to lengthy discussions)
• We will do the wiring and programming ourselves (my brother and one of our partners are software developers, and I am an IT specialist)
• The wiring will be done with plenty of spare capacity and smart home compatibility.
-> Lighting circuits (lamps) all go directly to the distribution board
-> Outlets are wired room-wise to the distribution board and use 5-wire/three-phase cables so nearly any outlet can be switched later with small wiring adjustments.
-> All push buttons are connected with (plenty of) LAN cable directly to the distribution board
(Discussion about CAT7a/CAT8.x LAN cabling or 10DA took place: Result: Almost everything will be done as CAT7A duplex because, overall, it is easier to handle and cheaper for us.)
The result will soon be installed as a prototype in my unit (half a semi-detached house, about 65m² (700 sq ft)). The photo of the small sub-distribution board is only a small part of the test system currently being assembled! The Eltakos were installed only for comparison (space requirements vs. the Controllino) and will probably not be used in the finished system.
Almost anything “speaking” a smart home language can be integrated into the system via the appropriate binding.
The core hardware (the “brain” of the system) will cost about 1000 to 1500 euros (approximately $1100 to $1650). It mainly consists of the SmartHome Manager (Raspberry Pi) and Controllino Mega pure (Arduino).
The programming of OpenHub, etc. (open source) is done by our software developers/programmers.
Temperature, distance meters, motion detectors, humidity, CO2 sensors, and similar devices can easily be integrated. Small touchscreens (around 20€ (about $22)) as “cornerstone components” usually cost only a few euros.
I will be happy to report on further steps and on the prototype development once progress continues.
Notes:
The advantages of KNX are often mentioned, and some of these certainly apply. In our smart home, if the SmartHome Manager (which is also industrial hardware) fails, almost nothing works. With KNX, all unaffected subsystems continue to run. However, the example described by @Mycraft: “… It’s enough to just connect another push button to the bus cable and configure it…” is hardly feasible in practice. The user cannot do it themselves, the proverbial “unicorn” (ideal technician) is not there, and if the “system integrator” does come eventually, every small change or adjustment is extremely expensive. (These are the experiences of two people with KNX in our circle of acquaintances.)
Please do not fill this thread with pros and cons of the various systems. It only concerns “our” system based on the hardware and software components mentioned at the beginning – thanks!
Yes, KNX is definitely the benchmark when it comes to reliability. Truly an excellent system, no question.
I am fully aware of the contradiction in my statement regarding maintenance-free conventional electrical installations plus Shellys. If the time ever comes when I feel like experimenting with that, I will install it very sparingly. The great thing about these devices is that, for example, if the Wi-Fi goes down, everything else still works. The Shelly itself just must not fail. I have no idea how prone they are to failure or what the current long-term experience with them is. If I have to uninstall and reinstall them repeatedly in the future, they will end up in the trash—that’s for sure.
I am fully aware of the contradiction in my statement regarding maintenance-free conventional electrical installations plus Shellys. If the time ever comes when I feel like experimenting with that, I will install it very sparingly. The great thing about these devices is that, for example, if the Wi-Fi goes down, everything else still works. The Shelly itself just must not fail. I have no idea how prone they are to failure or what the current long-term experience with them is. If I have to uninstall and reinstall them repeatedly in the future, they will end up in the trash—that’s for sure.
H
hampshire3 Sep 2020 21:57We have rotary switches from Gi Gambarelli in the house. Brilliant design and feel – and still easy to operate even when your brain isn’t at its best. Low-tech, made of porcelain and solid metal.
Still, smart home technology definitely belongs to the future.
Still, smart home technology definitely belongs to the future.
I always wonder, what exactly is a "Smart Home"... Unfortunately, for most people, it just means Alexa, smartphone apps, and the like. But "smart" actually means something that you don't have to operate manually anymore because it runs on its own. What’s smart about voice control...? This has nothing to do with superzapp, but it just came to mind. When you narrow it down to that, the project becomes really interesting.
N
NoggerLoger22 Sep 2020 15:14I believe that smart systems also include Alexa and similar devices. Occupancy sensors and power measurement modules with lighting scenes are also partly smart. However, despite having occupancy sensors and so on, I have planned for some manual switch boxes because I still like to operate some switches manually.
H
hampshire22 Sep 2020 15:32If someone had given a lecture to Stasi officers in 1985, describing a future where people would pay to be monitored at home by microphones and cameras, they would have dismissed it as a utopia or been very happy about it.
A smart home serves its residents by providing convenience, comfort, and transparency. In return, it costs money, data, and thus privacy, and ultimately potentially freedom.
For us, the price paid in data is too high, and the technological intrusion into privacy too intimate, with a possible infringement on freedom too risky. Others assess this differently, with valid arguments. What matters is simply to know what you are paying with.
A smart home serves its residents by providing convenience, comfort, and transparency. In return, it costs money, data, and thus privacy, and ultimately potentially freedom.
For us, the price paid in data is too high, and the technological intrusion into privacy too intimate, with a possible infringement on freedom too risky. Others assess this differently, with valid arguments. What matters is simply to know what you are paying with.
P
pagoni202022 Sep 2020 16:11I find it quite paradoxical that, in everyday life, we are constantly inundated with privacy warnings and some people even live in genuine fear of data theft, yet at the same time, hardly miss an opportunity to share their data.
Personally, I don’t see the advantage of not having to operate a light switch anymore. Sometimes I like the light, and other times, in the same situation, I don’t. I prefer not to leave it to a machine to figure that out.
At the same time, I can understand the current interest in such advanced technology or the popular trend of adopting it, even if it doesn’t affect me personally at all.
Personally, I don’t see the advantage of not having to operate a light switch anymore. Sometimes I like the light, and other times, in the same situation, I don’t. I prefer not to leave it to a machine to figure that out.
At the same time, I can understand the current interest in such advanced technology or the popular trend of adopting it, even if it doesn’t affect me personally at all.
Similar topics