Schneider Electric's end-to-end solutions for civil and residential construction, industry, energy and infrastructure, as well as data centers and networks, make it possible to use electricity as safely, reliably and efficiently as possible. One of the most demanded areas of the company's activity today is the production of systems for the "smart home", which is the subject of our first article.
Many people associate the phrase “smart home” with a kind of “excesses” that liken housing to a spaceship with complete, very expensive and by and large unnecessary automation. In fact, solutions for complex home automation, different in their characteristics and cost, can be purchased for quite reasonable money and with their help make your life as comfortable as possible. Schneider Electric specializes in just such solutions, bringing the most attractive offers to the market.
Perhaps the most important advantage of a "smart home" is the presence of a unified control system that combines climate control systems, light control systems, security complex, household appliances, etc. Imagine that you have a wall display, remote control, or just a pocket PC with which you turn on your TV, air conditioner, alarm, and even change the water in your aquarium. It's even better if the buttons have to be pressed as little as possible, and the house exists automatically, adjusting to your habits and daily routine (you just need to provide the necessary settings). In addition, a true “smart home” can always be upgraded: intelligent equipment can be compared to a computer, which is constantly being improved by replacing individual components.
Experts distinguish two main types of "smart houses" - with centralized and decentralized management. In the first case, all the systems that are in the house (fire, security, climate control, light, and others) are combined into one system with central control. This "smart home" scheme is most actively used in the United States. One of the most important advantages of a centralized approach is that the end equipment (for example, sensors and actuators) is slightly cheaper. However, there are also "buts": for example, the complexity of programming the system functions increases, and the failure of the central control device inevitably leads to the failure of the system as a whole.
Decentralized smart home systems are more commonly used in Europe. Their terminal equipment is somewhat more expensive, but the head processor is not used. The main advantage of a distributed control system is its greater flexibility and durability. It consists of controllers (switches, sensors, etc.) and executive devices (dimmers, air conditioners, etc.). A rather complex interaction can be organized between them, but at the same time the failure of one or several devices does not disrupt the performance of the system as a whole. The most popular in Russia today are just such systems - in particular, KNX, LonWorks, C-BUS, manufactured by Schneider Electric.
Smart home not only makes everyday life much more comfortable and safe, but also saves resources. So, a switch located at the front door will allow, leaving the house, to de-energize all unused appliances at once and turn off the lights in all rooms except those that were set during preliminary setup: for example, an alarm, refrigerator, washing machine, heating boiler, etc. P. And motion sensors will kindly turn on the light in the room where you enter, but they will also carefully extinguish it after everyone has left. The time interval after which the light will turn off after stopping the movement is also configurable at the request of the user. The ability to raise the ambient temperature in rooms where a person is not constantly (for example, in a bathroom) exactly when needed, also contributes to energy savings. On average, a smart home system helps to save up to 30% energy, and with full building automation - up to 60%.
Schneider Electric is one of the world's leading companies in the production of equipment that equips smart homes, including under the German brand Merten, dating back to 1906.
Merten, a member of the Schneider Electric concern, is widely known as a manufacturer of high-quality and innovative wiring materials. In particular, it was she who introduced the first "architectural switch" to the market in 1969, developing a series of 70 switches in different styles. In 1987, Merten, together with other companies, initiated the creation of the INSTABUS society, which laid the foundation for the widespread use of intelligent system technology for building automation. The KNX protocol for home control developed by this society became an open standard, and in 1985, with the release of ARGUS motion sensors on the market, the company revolutionized the comfort and safety of private homes. In 2004, Merten released merten @ home, which allows you to control all functions of a building using a PDA or PC, and in 2006, sales of the CONNECT radio system, an advanced Z-Wave technology, capable of monitoring and visualizing all the main life support systems of a home, began.
Schneider Electric develops easy-to-install, easy-to-use solutions that make life more comfortable and your home the best place on earth!
Alexandra Belanich, specialist of the department for work with architects and designers
by Schneider Electric
mob. tel.: + 7-903-689-1093
e-mail: [email protected]
merten.ru
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Customer Support Center:
t. 8-800-200-6446 (multichannel), t. (495) 797-3232, f. (495) 797-4002
