Bow Tie become silver partners with Loxone Smart Home

This article was originally published in issue 18 of Passive House Plus magazine. Want immediate access to all back issues and exclusive extra content? Click here to subscribe for as little as €10, or click here to receive the next issue free of charge

Bow Tie technical director Rafael Delimata explained why: “For quite a long time we felt that there were no specialist tools to help us optimise and control services in homes. We felt that the available systems were expensive and did not effectively integrate all items such as lighting, the burglar alarm, audio, heating, hot water, solar, solar PV, automatic blinds, actuated windows, MVHR settings, etc. Some smart home systems concentrate on lights, some on AV, some on blind controls. We love that Loxone allows us to integrate all these systems without compromise, and it is the most affordable product in this market.” All home controls are rolled up into a single personalised app for the occupiers that they can install on smart phones and tablets.

“We were also looking for a system that would feed back usage and consumption data to us so we could remotely optimise the client’s M&E system settings as a part of our aftercare service,” said Delimata. “We want to compare power consumption with output to ensure the M&E system is functioning efficiently and not working hours when it is not needed, which will save on wear and tear. We want to use Loxone for real-time background fault reporting.”

He continued: “Data collected on the running of properly functioning equipment would be automatically compared to current running data and any disparity would be flagged. Errors on flat batteries, damaged gears in a garage door, a blocked flue in the boiler, low pressure in the heating system, blocked MVHR filters could all be detected before they become serious problems. We would then advise the client and arrange a date to visit and fix.

“At present every M&E system is overspecified, just in case. We want to be able to tune in to our client’s needs and occupied usage to optimise the system for them and reduce unnecessary energy usage and expense. Collecting this data over the long term will help us specify appropriate systems for future clients and ensure that they don’t spend more than they need to.

The company is currently installing a Loxone system in Bounds Green, North London, where its primary function is smart metering. “The property is split between a shopfront retail unit and a residential home,” said Delimata. “This system will allow utility costs to be split without going through the costly and time-consuming process of asking each utility company to provide a separate supply.”

More information on the Bounds Green project is available at www.bowtieconstruction.co.uk