Great news!, After much thought, and a ton of back and forth with my web design company, I have finally completed the first edition of my website. Have a look around, and don’t hesitate to give me any feedback on the layout etc.

As a part of my new website, I have committed to writing a regular blog series designed to help you understand the in and out’s of the modern Electrical landscape. Or more simply “How to get the most modern and mind-blowing electrical control systems and lighting designs into your home”. Whether you are thinking of Building a brand new home, or starting a renovation, I sincerely hope that my blog posts will help you through the complexities of the installation of electrical components into your new home.

Home Automation Systems, lighting controls, Media rooms, temperature controlled wine Cellars, sophisticated heating and ventilation controls, green energy, heat recovery systems; the one element all of these home components have in common is a growing complexity. Make no mistake, this stuff is fun to have in your new home; it extends all of the possibilities from enhanced Sound Fidelity, to new and exciting home automation strategies designed to make your home life more efficient. Yes, it can get complicated, but I am going to simplify it for you and in so doing, make it easier to understand.

As the first Blog post, and a blatant self promotion, please enjoy reading one of my best client’s testimonials about my work. His name is Doug Garnett, and he owns an incredible home up here in Whistler. I had the honour of creating and implementing many of the Electrical systems and controls that make his home run so well.

Happy reading and Best Regards,

Adam Autio – Autio Electric Ltd.

I first met Adam Autio over ten years ago when he was engaged as the lead electrician responsible for electrical installations during construction of my Whistler home, located at the foot of St. Anton Way on the shore of Whistler’s Alta Lake.  Architectural design for this home commenced in 2001 with construction beginning approximately two years later.  Adam was not only engaged in the normal wiring installations of a new residence, he also managed other companies who were designing and installing a number of state-of-the-art installations on this project.  The home was completed in late 2009 and occupancy commenced in early 2010, just prior to the Winter Olympic Games, held in Vancouver and Whistler.  Adam continues to service and monitor the various electrical installations here.

Following the completion of nine years of design and construction, in 2010 my home received the top honor for home technology projects in the world wide awards program of CEDIA, the Custom Electronics Design & Installation Association, and I received a handsome trophy.  CEDIA is the leading global authority in the $14 billion international home technology industry, and it represents more than 3,500 member companies worldwide servicing more than 22,000 industry professionals that manufacture, design, and integrate goods and services for the connected home.  CEDIA Electronic Lifestyles Awards celebrate the industry’s most innovative companies and professionals, and the international CEDIA Designer Awards honor the top home technology projects designed and installed world wide.In 2010, my home won the CEDIA Gold Medal Award for its design and installation of the electronic systems in the Level IV category (US $500,000) of Best Technical Design / Integrated Home.

Adam coordinated and worked closely with La Scala Home Cinema & Integrated Media of Vancouver in connection with the installation of the electronic systems installed in the home.  To qualify as a candidate for this prestigious award, a project must have at least two residential electronic systems which are integrated, controlled, and feature some element of automation. Integrated systems in my home are accessed and controlled by a central computer wall touch-screen next to the bed in the Master Bedroom, with additional access and control by room-by-room wall keypad controls, plus portable radio frequency remotes containing LED screens.

This installation controls the operation of the following systems:

1. Audio Visual System

This system delivers audio throughout the home via either flush-mounted or concealed speakers and subwoofers, as well as from exterior weatherproof speakers installed in the Chinese granite walls of the lakeside exterior.

Music input is from CDs, dozens of music channels provided by cable-vision, and a Mac Mini computer which contains a large library of music from my extensive collection of over 1,000 CDs.  This home music library includes much of the repertoire of classical European music, as well as a large selection of jazz, reggae, palm court, keyboard, voice, and contemporary music.

A state-of-the-art surround sound system with concealed speakers and subwoofers in the Bar provides a superb venue for music enjoyment, including surround sound DVD film viewing, as well as from HD cable television channels broadcasting in multi-channel surround sound.  In addition to an HD television monitor located in the Kitchen, HD television monitors are located above fireplaces in the Bar and the Master Bedroom.  Flush-mounted, they are covered by paintings which automatically disappear behind the wall when the television monitors are turned on.  All audio / visual  “black boxes” are located in the electrical room on the lower level of the home, pictured on page 19 of this chapter.

2.Computerized Lutron Lighting System.

Lighting, with room-by-room dimming functions, is controlled by the Master Bedroom computer touch-screen as well as by wall keypads in all rooms, providing a choice in each room of two individually programmable room lighting “scenes”, with infinite dimming of these two scenes.  Individual lighting components in each room also have their separate dimming control on the room wall keypad as well by portable remotes, providing a wide range of lighting choices.

At sunset each evening, various internal and external lights have been programmed to turn on, providing a lived-in appearance.  They are currently programmed to turn off at 11:00 pm, but they can also be turned off by touching the “Goodnight” button on a Master Bedroom keypad as well as by keypads at the Front Entry Doors and Boot Room doors.  This “Goodnight” button turns all interior and exterior lights off, except those in the guest bedrooms where guests choose when to turn their bedroom lights off.  At the Main Entry and Boot Room Entry, wall keypads control entry lighting while in addition, there is a single “Home” button which turns all lights on throughout the home to a partially dimmed level.

3.Internal Home Climate:  Temperature / Humidity

Individual room-by-room internal climate is controlled from the Master Bedroom computer touch screen. By touching the “Climate” icon on this screen, two different screen pages can be accessed: Temperature and Humidity. On the Temperature screen, each room of the home can be selected, and a page is displayed indicating current temperature and humidity for the room selected, as well as touch icons to change the maximum and minimum temperatures for the room.  Humidity levels are also set from this screen page.  Hidden temperature and humidity sensors throughout the home eliminate visual clutter, with all heat and humidity settings made from the Master Bedroom screen.

These electronics control a geothermal heating / cooling installation involving an extensive network of pipes drilled vertically into the ground for hundreds of metres, while 17 humidifiers maintain target relative humidity levels throughout the home.

4.Fireplace Operation

On/Off control of the 8 natural gas fired fireplaces is via the wall keypads in each room with a fireplace.  Each room’s wall keypad controls lighting, music level, as well as on/off operation of the room’s fireplace.  In addition, the computer touch screen in the Master Bedroom controls fireplace operation throughout the home. In rooms with television monitors, fireplace operation can also be controlled by the remote in the room.

5.Garage Door Operation

From the AMX computer screen in the Master  Bedroom, all three Garage doors can be either opened or closed.  Visual screen icons show operation of these doors opening or closing when commanded to do so on the screen, confirming door operation as well as current status.

6.Entry Gates Operation

In addition to operation control by all telephones in the home as well as by digital keypads on both the interior and exterior sides of the front gates, these gates are also controlled from the computer’s Master Bedroom touch-screen.  By touching the screen icon, the entry gates can be opened or closed, or opened for one minute to allow a visiting vehicle’s entry prior to re-closing.  Closed gates are always opened automatically for a departing vehicle.  As the gates are not visible from the home, their current status is indicated by the touch-screen image.

7.Snow Melt

On the Master Bedroom computer screen various external snow melt zones can be enabled (or disabled) to automatically melt snow when external sensors detect temperate and moisture conditions indicating surface snow covering.  Exterior patios on each side of the home have individual controls, while the Entry Drive and the Entry Courtyard are both divided into several different snow melt zones.

8.Security System

The monitored home security system includes perimeter security of all exterior doors and windows, glass breakage, motion detectors, electrical service or telephone line interruption, high/low interior heat and humidity detectors, smoke detectors, sprinkler system operation, carbon monoxide sensors, and plumbing flood sensors throughout the home on both levels.

An alarm event is identified on the Master Bedroom AMX computer screen showing its location.  In addition to monitoring by a professional security company which dispatches a guard within a minute or two of an alarm event.  If an alarm event occurs, all lights in the home as well as throughout the exterior grounds are turned on at full intensity, and the front gates are also automatically opened, allowing quick access by emergency vehicles. Voice alarms also describe the nature of the alarm event.

9.Weather Monitoring

A weather page on the AMX computer screen in the Master Bedroom can be quickly accessed, providing up-to-date Whistler weather information including temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, wind chill, dew point, visibility,  high / low temperature  and precipitation forecast, and satellite image.

10.Remote Video Feeds

Live full color remote camera views can also be selected for display on the Master Bedroom touch screen.  Camera locations currently displayed include:

• Whistler Mountain peak
• Blackcomb Mountain peak
• Whistler Village
• Sea-to-Sky highway between Vancouver and Whistler (4 locations)
• Lions Gate Bridge and its approaches in Vancouver
• Second Narrows Bridge and its approaches in Vancouver
• Vancouver harbor

Established in 2006, the prestigious CEDIA Awards cover the globe including North and South America, the UK and Europe, the Middle East, Russia, India, and Pakistan.  My home’s CEDIA International Gold Award celebrates the best in residential technology worldwide, and it is an honor for me to have my home chosen as the recipient of this award.

Adam continues to coordinate any required programming changes to the electronic systems here, working directly with La Scala’s Vancouver programmers.  As required, he is also in contact with other companies involving operation of the front gates, garage doors, fireplaces, spa tub, and security system.

Adam is a highly competent electrician with broad knowledge of all aspects of home electrical and electronic installations.  His problem solving abilities have proven exceptionally helpful and his input has been instrumental in the successful operation of the high technology installations here in my home.  Without reservation, I would give Adam my very highest recommendation.

Doug Garnett
alangarnett@wanadoo.fr

A.D. Garnett
3102 St Anton Way
Whistler BC  V0N 1B3 Canada