Russia is being taken over by smart buildings.
The market for smart home systems in Russia is currently estimated at $250 million and is growing by 20-25% per year. The engine of growth is wealthy Muscovites who want to equip their homes with intelligent systems, and large corporations. In addition, large developers have joined the process.
The list of smart home capabilities is quite impressive. It reduces energy and water consumption and increases building productivity. In addition, the system will notify in advance about malfunctioning equipment.
For the consumer, such housing not only provides additional entertainment, but also saves time and protects health. If you are going to return home after a long absence, the house will switch the heating from economical mode to normal; a strong wind blows at night — the window will automatically close using an electric drive.
To save energy, you can install simple motion sensors in the corridors, and the lights here will not be on around the clock, but only when a person appears in the room.
Lazy Americans
“It was all invented by lazy Americans who introduced the concept of home automation. Then the term smart house (smart home) appeared, which subsequently took hold in the world,” explains Vladimir Abramenko, president of A.P. Technology.
All experts agree that there is no clear concept of an “intelligent home”. “This is a virtual concept, that is, not a product as such,” notes Abramenko. — A smart home is a set of blocks for adults. You can install a light control system — and call it a smart home. Subsequently, it can be integrated with a security system, with a control system for equipment and electronics. The main thing in a smart home is that all these systems work together.” A smart home is not a product, but a property, the electronic soul of a room, which helps a person forget about performing many household duties.
The main criterion for calling a home smart is the brain of the system, that is, the central control body that unites the work of all systems and makes them dependent on each other. The main means of communication with the system is usually touch panels built into the wall or portable. The screen may contain house plans, icons, or other indicators related to equipment. And traditional switches, which are found in an ordinary home, are replaced in a smart home with intelligent key sensors, where each key or button can be responsible for an arbitrary set of functions. For example, by pressing one button when leaving home, you can immediately turn off the lights everywhere, switch the climate control systems to economy mode and set the alarm to security mode. With the same ease, you can turn on the system using a mobile phone when approaching the house, change the operating mode of the climate system, turn on the lights, etc.
Gentleman's set
The most common set of smart home functions includes a lighting control system. Moreover, people with average incomes have recently begun to equip their homes with this function. The light can be made to work according to a scenario, for example, to make the functions “morning”, “evening”, “party”, etc. The specified setting begins to take effect after pressing a single button, and the light will turn on and off depending on the degree of illumination outside the window. The second most popular function is the security system. It can be combined with a light control system and configured, for example, so that when intruders enter, in addition to a signal to the security console, the lights will constantly turn on and off, etc. In case of emergency situations (unauthorized entry, smoke, gas leak), the system will send an SMS message to the owner.
Another important function is climate control. Before arrival, you can send her a signal from your mobile phone to switch from economy mode to normal mode, set the level of required temperature and humidity. The system controls radiators, heated floors, air conditioners.
A smart home cannot exist without “multi-room” — a system for distributing audio and video from a single server throughout the entire room. The idea itself was invented in the USA 30 years ago. The function will be continued in the future in screen walls. They can be used as photo wallpaper, view on-demand videos, photographs and pictures from video cameras in the house, go online and conduct video conferences with work colleagues.
The main difference between smart houses in Russia and the West is their different purposes. If in Europe, for example, all systems of even a residential building are aimed at saving electricity and water, the costs of which are high there, then in Russia all functions are aimed at comfort and entertainment. But sooner or later the Russians will come to this. When a water meter is introduced, leakage sensors on taps will gain popularity.
There are also psychological differences. “People are afraid to install smart equipment; they think that it is very difficult to handle,” notes Vladimir Abramenko. In addition, in Russia there is a large proportion of those who make houses smart for the sake of showing off, and not for convenience.
Two approaches
There are two approaches to managing smart home systems . The first, more reliable, is based on distributed intelligence technology, when each system node has its own minimal intelligence. Together they are linked into a common managed system.
The second approach involves the presence of a central controller, which is responsible for the operation of all functions. Therefore, failure of the controller can result in the house remaining uncontrollable.
There is also the most popular standard in the field of building management systems. The LonWorks network supports various methods of transmitting information: coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, radio channel, etc. The standard also allows you to design the system yourself, adding new complexes from various manufacturers. You can purchase additional equipment later.
Houses from the future
More exotic solutions, more familiar to fans of science fiction, are now offered to those interested. First of all, these are offers from Japanese manufacturers. MATScompanyushita, for example, is ready to equip a microwave oven with a function that will allow you to properly prepare a semi-finished product by reading the barcode from the packaging. And the refrigerator itself can go online to order products that are running low. Instead of a regular lock on the front door, you can install a device that scans fingerprints or the iris of the eye.
Soon objects in the house will also become smart. There are already air conditioners that kill insects, and a bed that monitors the body temperature and pulse of a sleeping person and sends data to climate control and lighting systems. The home computer will check before leaving the bag for necessary items equipped with an RFI tag.D, and remind you if you forgot something.
The house will someday be connected to a car that synchronizes the driver's schedule and reloads route maps. Who hasn’t heard about a toilet that can quickly do a urine test and, if something goes wrong, send the data to your doctor via the Internet? Everything is heading towards the fact that the house will tell its owner that he will do without him and will not let him on the threshold one day.
If you don’t want to, we’ll force you
In the real estate market, intellectualization processes are more meaningful. Since smart systems pay off so far only on the scale of an entire building, in Russia there is a bias towards equipping commercial real estate with electronics. It accounts for about 80% of sales of smart systems. According to experts, the implementation of “intelligent building” systems currently costs on average 10% of the cost of all engineering systems of a new facility. These costs can pay off in two to three years.
Equipping a separate apartment is unlikely to pay off. With an average cost of $150-200 per square meter, a smart home can cost the owner a lot of money. It all depends on the imagination and wallet of the owner.
However, the situation may soon change. Due to competition in the market, developers themselves will more actively implement intelligent systems at the stage of construction of residential buildings.
12/19/2007/ANDREY BIRYUKOV The material was published in Gazeta No. 239 dated 12/20/2007.