What's Worth Integrating
Decades of experience with systems teach us that the systems valued daily are few and robust. The integrations with the best value-to-complexity ratio:
- Multi-zone climate control: temperature per room, remote management, integration with photovoltaics.
- Lighting: scene settings for different zones and times of day, without rows of switches.
- Motorized blinds and shades, coordinated with light and climate.
- Security: sensors, video surveillance, access control, and presence simulation.
- Multi-room audio and video distribution where genuinely utilized.
- Consumption monitoring: those who measure, save.
The Right Moment: During Renovation
Structured cabling is installed when the walls are open. Adding smart home features to a finished home means continuous construction work, compromises on routing, and higher costs. Those who renovate and at least install the rough-ins—empty conduits, backbone wiring, appropriately sized electrical panels—retain the ability to integrate in the future without any demolition.
Open Standards vs. Closed Systems
A house lasts fifty years; a proprietary ecosystem lasts much less. For this reason, we prioritize platforms based on open standards like KNX for core functions—lighting, climate, shading—which remain maintainable by anyone twenty years from now, reserving consumer systems for accessory functions that are easily replaceable.
Cost Considerations
For a 200-300 sq m villa, a well-designed smart home system focusing on essential functions typically accounts for 5-10% of a complete renovation budget. A significant portion of the cost isn't the electronics but the design and programming: that's where it's decided whether the system simplifies or complicates life.
What We Deliver to the Client
In addition to the operational system: an updated single-line diagram, a list of addresses and source programming, a simple user manual for the family, and a technical manual for future system maintenance personnel. A smart home must outlive its installer.
Frequently asked questions
- Can smart home systems be installed without renovation?
- Partially, yes, with wireless and retrofit solutions, but with limitations on reliability and aesthetics. The best outcome is always during renovation or new construction.
- What if the system becomes obsolete in ten years?
- That's why we separate core functions on an open standard from accessory functions on replaceable systems: the system's backbone remains, while gadgets can be swapped out.
- Does a smart home increase energy consumption?
- On the contrary: multi-zone climate management, automatic shutdowns, and load monitoring typically reduce consumption, with measurable savings from the first year.
Translated from the Italian original. Contact us for the official version.