Over 50 million Z-Wave devices have been sold worldwide since 2005. Z-Wave products have been used in many installations ranging from small scale domestic home improvements to light commercial projects. During this time Z-Wave has proven itself to be a world market leader in wireless home automation technology bringing affordable, reliable and easy to use products to millions of people worldwide. Designed to be economical and adaptable, Z-Wave is a leading choice for many home automation solutions. It is actively supported by over 350 manufacturers and service providers throughout the world.
Thanks to smart MESH networking technology, which allows devices to not only communicate with the home controller but also with each other, you can expand the range of your Z-Wave network and make it more robust and reliable by adding more devices. This makes Z-Wave a perfect choice for light commercial projects allowing them to create a large reliable home automation network without the need for laying out hundreds of metres of expensive cables. Meanwhile the ability to add new devices into a Z-Wave network at any time makes Z-Wave a great choice for home owners who are looking for a home automation technology that can adapt their changing needs.
On this page we will write about some of the interesting ways in which Z-Wave has been used in light commercial and domestic installations both worldwide and in Australia.
We had a client with Motor Neuron Disease approach us with a request to automate his home. We installed a range of devices to allow remote control and automation of this gentleman’s house. This job required coordinating with both the client and his NDIS liaison to ensure a solution that would meet his needs as his condition progressed.
We automated doors (garage and entry), lights, power circuits, and updated his intercom to provide an integrated solution.
We worked closely with our client to understand his needs, including using RFID on his wheelchair and integrating Siri. To this day I continue to support him and visit or remote in to assist him as he continues to evolve his understanding of the capabilities of the system.
Business owner, Jamie Heffernan from Maldon Getaways, manages multiple Miners Cottages and B&B’s throughout the Maldon area, which is located in the Goldfields Region of Victoria.
His problem with his B&B’s were,
- Keys locked inside cottage.
- Keys being lost.
- Key safe being broken into.
- Cost of key replacement.
- Issues with check in and check out times
- After hours call outs
The solution to his brief was simple, keyless entry.
We have installed Yale Assure Digital Deadlocks Locks (with key, just in case!). This brief provided a perfect opportunity to install accompanying Vera Edge controllers which enable Jamie to remotely program pin codes from anywhere that he has internet access. He also uses this system to monitor arrivals and departures of guests. The allows for a more efficient process of getting accommodation cleaned between guests, as he gets real time notification that the guests have departed. For check in, it allows him to greet guests on arrival to show them around the cottages and their functionality.
Last but not least, it stops the 2am call out from guests who ring with “I can’t find the keys!”
Jamie is also considering what future improvements the Vera Edge controller can provide to his business in a security capacity.
Our installers have been busy. This week in Sydney one of our installers had the job of integrating one of our clients old Fujitsu ducted air conditioning systems with their Fibaro Z-wave Controllers. For this job the client had this hardware recommended by us:
1x Coolinkhub
1 x CoolPlug
2 x Qubino Dry Contact Switch (For Damper Control)
Firstly we had to wire between the customer's internet router to the Coolinkhub using a cat6 data cable. Then we used the wiring from the cool plug to connect to the cool plug. Both units were installed at the indoor unit that was mounted inside the ceiling with an inspection hatch below it for easy access. We then wired from the Coolinkplug to the unit as described in the wiring diagram. We then fixed the IP address of the Coolinkhub and installed the virtual device into Fibaro Home Center 2. The Qubino Dry Contacts were used to open and close the existing dampers that the customer had for zone control. Once completed the customer was able to control his system by the Fibaro Home Center 2. The final step was to create associations to automate the A/C system thus saving them money on energy consumption and maximizing the comfort when they are home.
My client “New Plumbing Solutions” enquired about a smart lighting system that was affordable, effective and energy efficient. They are a company that strives to incorporate the use of cutting edge technology and were excited to introduce the DHS supplied system. Their main goal was to utilise remote monitoring and have greater control over the office and warehouse lighting. The smart controller enabled new found flexibility via lighting “scenes”.
MELmed electrical delivered customized lighting scenes that includes -
- Scheduled morning and evening security lighting for staff parking area.
- A specific series of lights on at the start of the each work day (Monday – Friday)
- Master off button for the last employee who leaves at the end of the day to ensure all lights are off when the business day has come to a close.
The project has had a positive impact for NPS with management reporting a noticeable decrease in energy costs due to the total control of the lighting system.
Being part of a disability support organisation means that EasyTech Living combines therapeutic experience with assistive technology know-how to create our smart home installations. People with disability often require complex supports to achieve greater independence, and smart home controls must be tailored to each client’s strengths and abilities.
The relationship with our customer is unique; working alongside them, and their occupational therapist to create a customised solution and an important link to government funding. We recently worked on a smart home installation with a client with quadriplegia who was completely reliant on his carers. Now he can control almost everything in his home simply by voice commands, sensors and a mouth stylus on an iPad attached to his wheelchair. This includes turning on lights, opening and closing doors and blinds, answering the front door, turning on the TV (including change channels and adjust volume), retaining a comfortable home temperature and calling carers from anywhere in the house if he needs them.
Creative parts of the installation include using voice control to turn off his children’s Xbox so he can tell them to go to bed and letting his dog out in the morning. For someone dependent upon other people’s hands for everything this smart home installation has been life changing.
We tell our clients to dream big. Tell us what you want, and we will create a smart solution to make it happen!
I have been working on integrating the Vera Plus in my home on existing and new infrastructure. I have managed to set up a 2-Hour duty cycle on the Spa motor (Sunset and Sunrise), removed all electrics including lights from the Wet Zone, and installed Qubino Dimmers to control IP65 Down lights. We also use power plug adaptor to control Salt lamp in lounge (Sunset till 11:00pm).
I am now working on retrofitting manual roller shutters with SOMFY RTS motors and a Velux skylight on VERA Plus using the Z-Wave 433Mhz Bridge and New Underfloor heating to operate with dual thermostat control. I also have created a Heat transfer system with multiple zones on an Auto timer and run on timer from fan in our ensuite. Along with other projects I have designed and completed with Home Theatre Installations this is my next product that I will be recommending to add for SOUTH CENTRAL ELECTRICAL and our clients.
I see a lot of areas in which Automation of existing homes in my work zone could be possible with the right backing of a business such as DIGITAL HOME SYSTEMS.
We recently completed an architectural house by the famous Cube Homes in Noosa Heads, which was fitted out with Fibaro, Sonos & Savant. It involved wiring the whole house with Fibaro switches, dimmers, motion sensors & relays for around 55 lighting loads.
This installation was then integrated into Apple Home-kit and the client was blown away by the reliability of the project. After creating his own scenes in Apple Home-Kit named “Whiskey” he showed me what it did by saying “Hey Siri, I’m having a Whiskey”.
The Smart Home system instantly closed all the blinds, dimmed the overhead lights, illuminated his wine cabinet and turned the fire place on. He then also told me how since moving in 3 months ago he hasn’t touched a single light switch. He achieved this by scheduling his most commonly used lights around his lifestyle and using Siri voice control. He now wants us to do the next 5 projects coming up this year.
