Smart homes

Providing more comfortable living conditions, facilitating everyday life, making real energy savings, and securing one’s home more efficiently, such are the aims of so-called “smart” or “connected” homes. Here are the five most important criteria to choose from the many offers proposed by players in this market making constant progress.

Just one question to be answered about connexion : cable or wireless ? Cabled solutions enjoy the reputation of being more secure and less subject to interference. However, with their ever higher performance, wireless solutions offer more flexibitiy in terms of use. The world-leading wireless standard is called Z-Wave. Its advantages ? Its long range, high security criteria, conection stability, and low energy consumption.

A connected house can offer a broad array of functions, ranging from automated heating to lighting control and coffee machines that switch on automatically each morning. The system installed should have a positive effect on both energy savings, convenience and safety.

The purpose behind a smart home is often to ensure maximum security by installing movement sensors and sirens... Which can only be effective if the system itself is secure. The leading firm in Europe is a German laboratory called AV-Test.

There are now many suppliers of home automation systems, including lots of start-ups. Their offerings evolve rapidly. Buyers can determine the seriousness of a supplier if he has been operating on the market for several years and is known for his experience - especially if he has won professional awards. It is also advisable to find out if he proposes regular up-dates of his systems.
A simple starter’s kit will very quickly configure your first connected home, with the possibility of gradual scalability to add other components depending on your needs. Available from stores specializing in IT, they cost from 200 to 300 €.

Whom to turn to?
The Devolo Home Control solution comprised of three essentials to kick off a smart home has received the “Smart Home of the Year” label on several occasions, awarded by readers of specialized IT magazines. This beginner’s kit is available for around 220 €.
Fibaro also proposes a Starter Kit containing a home automation box and a few peripherals to get things going (approx. 400 €).
Well-known brands such as Bosch and Siemens also offer “à la carte” products, and installers such as Homly You are specialized in the field.