Professional interview: PDL by Schneider Electric
Everything is a touch away
Home automation was once considered complicated and expensive, but nowadays it is becoming more and more popular. The technology has advanced, the terminology has evolved into ‘smart home’ and now, in modern builds, all that affordable convenience is just a touch away. Robert Knight, Residential Electric Design Consultant from Schneider Electric, is here to tell us more.
M: Can you explain what a smart home is? I’m sure it is far more than just switching the lights on and off?
R: In a nutshell, it is the ability to control different elements of your home from a smartphone. The level of control depends on a number of factors, such as the house size, the budget, and most importantly, the client’s requirements and expectations. There are three main reasons why homeowners want to have a smart system: safety, security and convenience.
M: Does that mean it’s possible to customise a smart home to suit the lifestyle of the homeowner?
R: Absolutely. The days of having to run everything through cables with limited options are long gone. The PDL Wiser Smart Home system, provides solutions that can cover different aspects of the house, depending on the choice of the homeowner. Basically, Wiser can be installed on almost everything in the home and controlled by an app. Besides turning on or dimming lights it can control your heat pump, alarm and sound system, and those are just a few examples. The options and combinations are endless. This is a cost-effective system that is very easy to install and can be adjusted anytime as needs change.
M: That’s sounds a bit mind-boggling – in a good way. How does the homeowner make the right choices, to suit their requirements and expectations?
R: We have Vision Studios in Auckland and Christchurch that are set up as one-bedroom apartments running a smart home system. Customers can come in and experience all sorts of features and decide which ones will work best for them. Consultants such as myself are here to guide them through and make them aware of the options. We also offer digital consultation, which is very handy. There is no need to set up the whole house initially. Most things can be retrofitted by the homeowner. Some may like to start by automating the main living area during the build process and extend the system to the rest of the house at a later stage.
M: What are the most popular features these days?
R: Lighting control, both inside and outside the house, is top of the list. Motorised blinds are a great feature and have a fantastic visual impact. Connecting your smoke alarms into your smart app is highly recommended, as all your lights and appliances can turn off automatically when smoke is detected. We also have a Wiser security camera that allows you to keep an eye on your home via the Wiser App when you are not there.
M: What smart feature do you recommend as really nice or fun to have?
R: It’s nice to have the bathroom fan automictically turn on once the room has reached a certain humidity. Personally, I think it would be fun to turn off the hot water when children are taking too long in the shower!
M: Finally, what is your advice to homeowners who are considering smart home features in their build?
R: Nothing is more important than planning. Yes, Wiser is a flexible system, but it is necessary to have enough fittings such as power points and lights to make it happen. Start planning your electricals early and set aside your budget. There are lots of things to consider when building a house, so make sure there is funding allocated towards achieving a smart home when the time comes. I also encourage prewiring for a vehicle charger. It is safer to have a proper charger and it can charge your vehicle much faster.
“A true smart home is a home that works for you, and it can look after itself.”
A little about Robert Knight
Having worked for PDL for almost 15 years, Robert has a passion for everything electrical. He is based at the PDL Vision Studio in East Tamaki and he loves being involved in building and renovation projects.
A little more about Wiser
With a PDL Wiser Smart Home solution your smartphone can become the dashboard for customising and controlling your home. You can do just about anything from operating the blinds to changing the lighting remotely with the Wiser by SE app, controlled through voice from your Amazon Alexa or Google Home, or simply from your existing light switches.
Contact: 0800 652 999