The house of the future will have a mind of its own

By Stephanie Saueressig Sep 13, 2010, 12:47 GMT

Berlin - Networked building technology that can turn a washing machine on during a low-price electricity period or have a door activate an alarm system when it closes are now a practical form of technology. Intelligent houses are well on their way to becoming a firm part of our lives.

Or how about an alarm system that can automatically draw the blinds or a fridge that can order fresh supplies of yogurt? Not everyone is convinced of their usefulness.

'Nobody really needs gadgets like those,' says Petra Schmieder from the Central Association of German Electrical and Digital Trade. The benefits of living in an intelligent house, she believes, lie in efficiency.

Intelligent living means systems such as heating, lighting, air conditioning and security are linked together. The result is a network that is very economic and recognizes the house owners' individual needs.

Another benefit is greater energy efficiency. For example, if a window is left open the house's heating system reacts by automatically reducing output. When you're about to leave the house, a display beside the door tells you which lights are still switched on, whether appliances are still working or if a window is still open without the need to check each room individually.

It is also possible for an intelligent house to regulate temperature depending on whether anyone is home, explains Alexander Klapproth, a univeristy professor in Lucerne, Switzerland. Klapproth is conducting research into the efficiency and usefulness of networked house technology at the high school's iHomeLab.

The standardized software used to control intelligent buildings is called KNX.

'KNX is like the house's command centre, it's the brain, in a way,' says Schmieder. In Germany, for example, technologies like this are likely to become increasingly important from 2011 onwards when the country's electricity suppliers are legally obliged to provide power at variable tariffs, depending on the time of day.

'In principle, that means energy prices could vary greatly every 15 minutes,' says Klapproth. When that happens, intelligent networked technology that can improve a household's energy efficiency will gain in importance.

New households in Germany already have digital meter systems called Smart Meters that record electricity, water and gas consumption. When a Smart Meter is linked to the house's systems it can display information on how much energy each piece of household equipment uses.

'This leads to more awareness about energy-saving potential. It can also activate washing machines and dishwashers when power is at its cheapest,' says Klapproth.

Intelligent homes also have more to offer in terms of security and comfort. A smartphone can be used not only to remotely turn a light on or off, but it can also receive a message if an intruder is detected by sensors on the house's windows or floors.

Security functions like these are also very helpful in giving elderly people more independence. For example, a networked device equipped with movement and height sensors could send a call to the emergency services in the case of a fall.

'We are working on developing rooms that can collect information. Pressure sensitive floor coverings and movement sensors could be used to detect if someone has fallen over,' says Klapproth. The long term goal is to replace control panels so that homeowners can communicate with their house through gestures or by voice.

But is it possible to make an already existing home intelligent? 'Equipping your home with a system such as KNX is worth it when you completely renovate the house,' explains Schmieder.

The iHomeLab in Lucerne is conducting research work on how to make homes intelligent. One system they are looking at is called ZigBee, software that wirelessly controls networked devices. It could make cables obsolete in future.

Another option is powerline communication, which uses 230-volt electricity cables to network devices. 'However, only devices that already use electricity can be networked. It does not work with a window, for example,' says Klapproth.

Another hurdle that must be overcome is compatibility between devices. It is not possible to easily connect every window or oven using KNX or ZigBee. And every time a new appliance arrives in the home a technician needs to be called in to connect it to the network.

But the researchers are already developing new methods to get around those problems.

'We are working on a solution that would turn the homeowner into the system integrator,' say Sahin Albayrak from the Connected Living innovation centre in Berlin. In future the system should be able to automatically recognize new additions.

'It will work in the same way as when you connect a printer to your computer with a USB cable.'

But there are also people who are apprehensive about a house with its own will. That raises the question as to how much 'intelligence' a home should have. 'A truly intelligent building must know what residents are doing and what their needs are,' says Klapproth.