slychiu
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The potential for the spread of home automation within the housing market needs to be conveyed to the house builder and house buyer, landlord and tenant as so much more than just surround sound and multiroom audio and video. As the new building and refurbishment sectors are increasingly governed in the UK as well as many other countries, by legislation, codes of practice and other recommendations, there is a growing role to be played by the home automation system integrator in helping put them into effect.
Three recent initiatives now dominate the way the UK housing market develops and builds new homes and refurbishes existing properties. These are in addition to the raft of building regulations to which they need to conform.
Rules, regulations and recommendations
The Lifetime Homes Standard is, at present, more of range of objectives than a directive. The key message is that homes must be built to suit occupants of all ages and all sorts of mental and physical capabilities. The standard is set out in 16 key points, none of which specifically relates to home automation, but it should be recognised that home automation could make a major contribution.
The Foundation For Assistive Technology states, "Assistive Technology is any product or service designed to enable independence for disabled and older people". However, Lifetime Homes and Assistive Living are linked closely together as more of the less able members of the community remain at home, and as the number of older people continues to expand.
The Code for Sustainable Homes is an agreed UK Government standard. Many of the requirements of the Code can be achieved more quickly and effectively by applying smart home technology to control features such as energy consumption for lighting, heating and home appliances and for home security. These areas offer custom installers/system integrators opportunities to apply their skills and demonstrate to architects, specifiers, developers, local authorities, housing associations what can be achieved through the use of smart home technology.
This extract appears courtesy of HiddenWires magazine. To read the full article see http://hiddenwires.co.uk/resourcesarticles2010/articles20100104-11.html
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