Smart buildings are taking over Russia.
«He stuck his hand into a special hole in the front door of his house.
In response to the touch of his fingers, the door opened.»
The «smart home» invented in the mid-20th century by science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, which can make decisions and give advice to its owner, is becoming a reality.
If only there was desire and, of course, money.
The market for intelligent home systems in Russia is currently estimated at $250 million and is growing by 20-25% per year.
The growth engine 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, increases building productivity. In addition, the system will notify in advance about equipment malfunction.
For the consumer, such housing not only provides additional entertainment, but also saves time and protects health. You are going to return home after a long absence — the house will switch the heating from economy mode to normal, a strong wind blew at night — the window will automatically close with the help of an electric drive.
To save electricity, simple motion sensors can be installed in the corridors, and the light 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 appeared, which subsequently gained a foothold 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 cubes 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 system for controlling equipment and electronics.
The main thing in a smart home is that all these systems work in a complex.»
A smart home is not a product, but a property, an electronic soul of a room that helps a person forget about performing many household chores.
The main criterion that allows us to call 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 are usually touch panels built into the wall or portable.
The screen may display house plans, icons, and various indicators related to the equipment.
And traditional switches found in a regular 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 the house, you can immediately turn off the lights everywhere, switch the climate control systems to economy mode and set the alarm to security mode.
The system can be just as easily turned on using a mobile phone when approaching the house, change the climate control system mode, turn on the lights, etc.
Gentleman's set
The most common set of smart home functions includes a light 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 starts to operate 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 break in, in addition to a signal to the security console, the light will constantly turn on and off, etc.
In the event of an emergency (unauthorized entry, smoke, gas leak), the system will send an SMS message to the owner.
Another important function is climate control. Before arriving, you can send it a signal from your mobile phone about switching from economy mode to normal, set the required temperature and humidity level. The system controls radiators, heated floors, air conditioners.
A smart home cannot do without a «multiroom» — 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 later be continued in wall screens.
They can be used as photo wallpaper, watch videos on demand, photos and pictures from video cameras in the house, go online and hold video conferences with colleagues at work.
The main difference between smart homes in Russia and the West is their different purposes.
If in Europe, for example, all systems even in 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, Russians will come to this. When water meters are introduced, leak 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 use,» notes Vladimir Abramenko. In addition, in Russia there is a large proportion of those who make their homes 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 node of the system has its own minimal intelligence.
Together they are connected into a common controlled system.
The second approach involves the presence of a central controller, which is responsible for the operation of all functions.
Therefore, a controller failure may result in the house remaining unmanageable.
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 different manufacturers. You can buy additional equipment later.
Houses from the Future
More exotic solutions, more familiar to science fiction fans, are now being offered to those who want them. First of all, these are offers from Japanese manufacturers.
The company MATSushita, for example, is ready to equip a microwave oven with a function that will allow you to properly cook a semi-finished product by scanning 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.
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 the climate control and lighting systems.
A home computer will check before leaving for the presence of necessary items in your bag, equipped with an RFID tag, and remind you if you forgot something.
The house will someday be connected to a car that synchronizes the driver's schedule and downloads route maps.
And who hasn't heard of a toilet that can quickly do a urine test and, if something is wrong, send the data to the attending physician via the Internet?
Everything is moving towards the fact that the house will tell its owner that it can do without it and will not let it in one day.
If you don't want to, we'll make you
In the real estate market, intellectualization processes are more meaningful.
Since smart systems only pay for themselves 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 «smart building» systems currently costs an average of 10% of the cost of all engineering systems of a new facility.
These costs can be recouped in two — 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 sum with many zeros.
It all depends on the owner's imagination and wallet.
However, the situation may change soon.
Due to competition in the market, developers themselves will be more active in introducing intelligent systems at the stage of construction of residential buildings.
12/19/2007/ANDREY BIRYUKOV The material was published in the «Gazeta» No. 239 of 12/20/2007.