Case Study 10 - 4 Bedroom Home, Bath

This installation is one of 4 in a set of new build town houses of similar style and content. The developer was keen to differentiate the properties from others on the market and to provide high quality throughout. With 4 bedrooms and three floors the properties are heated using wet under floor heating and a gas fired boiler — all under IDRATEK control. Heating is individually zoned to 14 rooms. In addition, hot water to bathroom taps is circulated through a secondary loop via the towel rails and this flow is controlled by the system such that when occupancy is detected in these rooms, and under appropriate conditions, hot water to the taps becomes available more quickly.

As with most installs the IDRATEK system covers very comprehensively the familiar categories of heating, hot water, lighting and security. But of course with its unique capabilities these are handled and integrated in a manner which is well beyond the realms of any conventional control system. Fully independent heating control in each room with 24/7 profiles based on room occupancy, outside conditions and where appropriate on door/window state, automated lighting in all rooms based on occupancy and light levels in the rooms themselves, cleverly co-ordinated control of lighting in relevant areas, sophisticated security system with access to all sensors and numerous output devices and alert mechanisms with individualised user security codes. In addition to these usual suspects the system implements intercom and general audio annunciation features in all rooms – providing for example audible information when doors or windows are opened/closed or delivering real time information from any object, Infra-Red transmission and reception for controlling A/V equipment and providing some wireless convenience controls into the system itself, extractor fan control, intelligent door bell handling, intensive data logging, and remote or local access capability via tablets or smart phones. These are just headline features and not mentioning many other subtle controls and behaviours which are made possible by the highly integrated nature of the system.

Install statistics:

40x lighting circuits
14x independently controlled heating zones
3x independently controlled towel rails supporting an accelerated hot water to taps scheme
Boiler control
Under floor heating system management of pumps and valves
Hot water control
4x Extractor fan control
Temperature, light level, humidity and motion sensing in all rooms and external to property (includes 21 PIR sensors, 18 temperature, humidity and light level sensors)
Intercom and audio annunciation capabilities to 14 rooms
Infra Red transceivers to 14 rooms (allowing local remote control or A/V control)
Door state sensing to all rooms (19 sensors)
Door bell handling
Window sensing (29 sensors)
10x Dual Button modules for miscellaneous user controls (aside from 14 full panels)
Alarm box and strobe control
Cortex core software with Alarm Pro option