Leading technology firm, Intecho, has found a new home in Knutsford. The company, which specialises in intelligent building systems, recently moved to Cheshire from offices in Stafford. The move to Caledonian House, in the heart of the town, follows the national and international growth of the business.

Intecho is already working on a number of projects in Cheshire and the North West, ranging from home control and security systems for residential properties, to lighting solutions and energy management for commercial properties. The company is now looking to create career opportunities in the region and to recruit staff to work on a number of exciting contracts.

Intecho’s Paul Murphy is feeling positive about the company’s new location. “Knutsford is the perfect place for us. Not only does it provide a quality working environment for our staff, there are also great opportunities for doing business in the area.”

Intecho hopes that the move will enable it to extend its already prestigious client base.

Winter breaks are becoming hugely popular, with those who aren’t restricted by school holidays packing up and disappearing in search of winter sun or perfect white slopes. Back at home the rest of the country is left shivering through short days and long nights, their home heating and lighting working overtime. Due to this need for lighting it can be more evident at this time of year when a home has been left un-occupied. That is however, unless the home in question is an intelligent home. Homes with intelligent control systems installed can create the illusion of a home being occupied even when the homeowners are in fact thousands of miles away.

Through intelligent home controls there are a number of effective ways to make your home appear occupied in your absence. Lights can be managed through automated pre-sets to go on and off at particular times or according to external natural light intensity, and also curtains to open and close under the same parameters. You can bring your home entertainment system into the loop, arranging for your TV or music system to come on at pre determined intervals, and this combined with external security lighting and a good alarm system should ensure that your home remains secure.

Some homeowners looking for an extra piece of mind choose to install security cameras throughout their home providing them with the ability to literally keep an eye on their property. One important feature of this being the ability to access the system and view cameras live from off-site, via remote access. The remote access facility allows a homeowner to access and alter every element of their home control system from anywhere in the world with internet access. Via a secure personal portal the residents can alter everything in their home from lighting to timed heating settings, and window coverings to the angle of a security camera. They can make live changes or alter pre-sets, check on the house alarm status and if they have them installed, view their security cameras live.

With technology such as this in operation even the most over cautious of homeowners can put their mind at rest, from the office or from half way around the world. Intecho offers a whole range of intelligent home features, which provide a host of benefits in security, energy efficiency and luxury. Each system is tailor designed to each customer’s individual needs and specifications, and can be installed with minimal aesthetic and logistic disruption. We’re always happy to discuss the possibilities for your property, so if you would like to know more please get in touch.

The festive season is over and a new year is here. With many homeowners cowering by their letterboxes awaiting the first of the winter bills to arrive, what better time to make a new years resolution for energy efficiency. Following huge recent increases in the cost of fuel most are expecting their worst energy bills yet, and are currently exploring ways to make savings through energy efficiency. One thing we can be thankful for is a relatively mild winter so far, but looking forward, rates are likely to further increase, and so the advice is to plan ahead.

As well as making monetary savings, improved energy efficiency also holds potentially huge environmental benefits. It is estimated that private homes are responsible for producing around a quarter of all Carbon emissions in the UK, and so by reducing our energy consumption and limiting waste we can all help to make a difference to our planet’s future. With much to be gained, how can we practically begin to make changes in the way we live… There are many things that can help to limit wastage, such as improved insulation, better monitoring of the use of home appliances, or leaving the car at home a little more. Many of the changes can be small, simple adjustments in the way we live our day-to-day lives, for example turning lights off, and only running fully-loaded dishwashers.

The stakes are high; research shows that by maximizing the energy efficiency in the home an average family can stand to save £250 per year, around £40 of this wasted on appliances left on standby alone. Many households over the past couple of years have installed home energy monitors to track how and where their energy is being used, and more importantly wasted, and Government guidelines suggest that those who use these monitors effectively can reduce their consumption by between five and fifteen percent in the first year.

Managing energy efficiency in practice, particularly with a family to look after can be difficult, hence many now taking an extra step into installing full intelligent home management systems. By using an intelligent home system many energy saving actions can be taken care of automatically and so a lot more reliably and effectively. Although requiring an initial investment in set up, the energy savings involved roll out over the entire future of the building, not only meaning that your investment will eventually pay for itself, but also that during that time you will be adding value to your property and making reductions in your carbon emissions.

A common energy saving action taken care of with an intelligent home system is turning off lights; either in un-occupied rooms, when daylight intensity is already sufficient or on leaving the house. Also, either on leaving, during certain hours of the day or on demand, selected power sources can be switched off. This eliminates the problem of appliances left on standby or on charge longer than necessary, which on average accounts for eight per cent of a household’s annual electricity bill. Drawing curtains in the evening improves insulation and reduce drafts in the home, helping to reduce heating costs. This is also something that your intelligent home system can take care of, either closing at a pre-determined time or as daylight reduces. There are many ways in which home controls can assist in saving energy, and it is also possible to monitor energy usage through the system without the use of an external appliance such as a home energy monitor.

When your next energy bill arrives consider what difference energy efficiency could make to you. An intelligent home system can help you achieve maximum benefits whilst saving you the time of manually policing usage around the home. Contact Intecho to discuss the options available and how home controls could make a difference to your bills.

Homes with intelligent lighting systems such as DALI installed give occupants total control over their home lighting environment, both in achieving a desired atmosphere and to automatically illuminate spaces when required, and according to preset levels. Using KNX technology this can also extend to the control of specific power sockets, including those used for external lighting – both temporary and permanent. Meaning that your festive array of Christmas lights can be included in home settings.

One feature within an intelligent lighting system that could help with your Christmas illuminations is scene setting. Through this feature it is possible to arrange a selection of pre-set lighting scenes ready to come on at either scheduled intervals, a pre-determined level of external light, or manually. For example, you could set your external Christmas lights to come on as the light intensity outside drops, and go off again either at a pre-determined time or as the sun comes up in the morning, meaning that they manage themselves, with little intervention needed from you.

Indoors you could manage your lights according to the time you’re due home (even remotely from your smart phone) or alternatively opt to use a welcome scene. A home welcome scene can incorporate all lighting within the home, including lamps, and temporary lighting i.e. Christmas decorations, and also set those with dimming capabilities to whichever intensity you desire. This can also be linked to other controlled elements such as to close curtains or increase the heating as you enter. So with the push of one button as you come through the front door your home will remember just how you like it.

Come Christmas Day you can further utilize some of your pre-set scenes to create perfect atmospheres as the day pans out. I.e. a morning scene with tree lights and main lights for the kids to open their presents, an afternoon scene with pleasant wall lighting in the dining room for Christmas dinner, and then a soft lit and decorative evening scene ready to settle down with a Christmas film. Perfect.

If you would like to learn more about using intelligent controls in your home then please drop us a line. Intecho wishes you a peaceful and relaxing break this Christmas, and happiness and success in the new year.

In an already fragile economic climate the latest figures regarding the rising cost of fuel couldn’t have come at a worse time for many UK families and businesses. With the winter months setting in, many people are exploring their options in terms of limiting usage, reducing wastage and ultimately saving money.

Latest figures report a 19.9% hike in energy bills since the same time last year, which together with price increases in other sectors such as retail, and food are putting significant pressure on bill payers. With no immediate reprieve on the horizon how can we look to improve the efficiency of our homes and buildings, and make the energy we use work harder.

Planning is crucial in devising a long-term energy saving solution, and the implementation of energy efficient building controls can achieve significant future savings for homes and businesses alike.” Joined-up” intelligent building controls can play an important role by constantly monitoring how much energy is used and where, and crucially determining what is truly required. Using KNX technology coupled with DALI lighting systems, Intecho can assign a selection of pre-sets to a building, and program it to use various strategies to maintain a desired environment in the most energy efficient way. This can work in either a home or commercial environment, with each system tailor-made to achieve the most effective and suitable results.

Perhaps the largest savings on lighting can be made within commercial buildings that experience variations in occupancy, such as libraries or multi-level car parks, as movement sensors can be set to activate lighting only when required.  Buildings that have a more standard pattern of occupancy, such as office spaces, or experience constant occupancy such as hotels can benefit more from the automatic sustaining of a standardized environment. When building controls are linked up they effectively talk to each other, meaning that if the temperature rises above a desired level in a particular room the blinds can be tilted to limit direct sunlight, or a window opened, before the building’s air conditioning is activated. Lighting will only be activated if the ambient light falls below a certain intensity and heating only initialized in spaces that require it, are currently occupied, and firstly have any windows closed.

Using sensor techniques such as this, energy efficient controls take what they can from the natural environment before initializing energy consuming alternatives, thus drastically increasing energy efficiency. From the point of view of a business, this also reduces the monitoring of spaces by staff and helps with building maintenance as the KNX system will inform you if there is a problem, or even if a lamp needs changing. If your building requires a routine this can all be easily pre-set, and also, importantly, any element can be over-ridden if required.

All of the above also translate to residential settings. Using similar techniques to a commercial building, a home environment can be regulated by an intelligent control system that uses the most energy efficient methods possible. As well as assisting in energy efficiency and energy savings, intelligent controls also help to improve environments by maintaining ambient temperatures, remembering lighting preferences and increasing security with techniques such as closing curtains at dusk or altering lighting when the home is un-occupied.

We hope, as does the rest of the UK to see a reduction in the cost of fuel, but if you are interested in achieving the best in energy efficiency from your property both now and in the future, please contact Intecho and we will be happy to offer our advice.

Stunning new multimillion-pound venue The Post House opened its doors to the public today. This eagerly awaited entertainment venue is set within a picturesque C1700 building in Stafford, and boasts beautiful bars, restaurants, dinning rooms, function rooms and gardens.

Intecho have worked intensively on the project to design and install a comprehensive lighting control system covering each of the entertainment spaces, and are proud to have been a part of such an outstanding project. Included here are some taster photographs, and a full case study about The Post House, including professional photography will follow in the new year.

Congratulations to all involved in the completion of this remarkable project.

Ever feel like advancements in technology are leaving you standing? Within the world of hand-held devices for example, 2011 has seen the release of the Ipad 2, The Blackberry Playbook, various android devices, and the much anticipated Iphone 4S. Steve Jobs, creator of the Apple Company who sadly passed away last month leaves behind him a legacy of innovation and designs which have revolutionized music, personal computers and mobile devices. From his lead many other companies have followed close behind leading to a continual avalanche of new hardware, software, applications and updates for the general public to contend with.

We have grown accustomed to digital devices such as these requiring software updates from time to time, to keep them up-to-date with the latest developments. However, how does this affect building control systems, do these also need updating, and if not the systems themselves, the remote devices that we use to control them? This is a common question amongst those contemplating the installation of an intelligent building control system, as they want to ensure as best they can that their systems are not going to be quickly out dated, or become incompatible with future, more advanced remote devices.

Intelligent building controls installed by Intecho are configured using KNX. This system is the world’s largest open protocol building control system. One of the many advantages of this system is that it is forwards and backwards compatible, put simply, every new device must work with legacy equipment, which is a fantastic attribute. Most single source systems such as Lutron can only offer a relatively small basket of products which are designed to work on their system only, so the huge advantage of KNX is that being open protocol our engineers can select from any of the 200 companies who make KNX products and know that all will work together on the one KNX system. This really does ensure that you are never tied to one single company and their products, and at Intecho we believe this to be unique, leading us to always use KNX technology. It’s good for our clients and good for our engineers when designing your system, with over 12,000 products available within the KNX market – no closed system can ever compare.

By using KNX software for both your building control system and any linked remote devices, it is always ensured that any updates are made with your specific hardware in mind and that no problems in compatibility or out-dating will occur. The remote apps are also developed to be backwards compatible to ensure they continue to function with all existing devices as well as any new technologies. Accessibility and ease of use for the consumer is at the forefront of the Intecho system design,  this conscious effort will deliver peace of mind throughout the life cycle of your system , ensuring as far as is ever possible, that it will be future proof.

The Old Post Office began life as Chetwynd House after its construction by William Chetwynd, Member of Parliament for Stafford and 3rd Viscount of Maer. Amongst many surviving period features the property still retains its original 18th century gates within which William’s monogram can be seen. After William’s death in 1780, the house became occupied by William Horton who erected a warehouse and workshops at the rear of the house from which to run his large-scale business in shoe manufacture, an important and historic industry in Stafford. Over the years, and before its later uses as both a doctor’s surgery and local post office, the house attracted many influential people, members of government and those considered the elite society. These friends of William would gather for high society balls and parties, with even The Prince Regent enjoying a stay at Chetwynd House in the 1790’s.

Bringing the Old Post Office into modern day, the building is set to maintain its reputation as a social hub. The new ‘Post House’ complex will accommodate formal, informal and private dining, alongside a cocktail lounge, wine bar and bistro bar area, and will even boast its own patisserie. With exterior gardens that include a roof garden, this scenic venue will offer the best in conference and wedding facilities with space for event and demonstration areas, live music and dancing.

Intecho have been appointed to provide a full lighting control system throughout the exciting new multi-million pound venue, and will work closely with principle contractors to design and install a comprehensive system covering each of the bars, restaurants and event spaces. The system installed will provide smooth, easy to use control over the spaces, and ensure that each of the impressive function rooms has full lighting flexibility in order to cater for the broad range of events likely to take place within.

With Archaeological experts on hand, special care will be taken during the entirety of this refurbishment to ensure that history and modern technology are bought together sympathetically, along with original features properly restored and protected. Using KNX technology Intecho will ensure that cabling is kept to a minimal and control panels are subtly and tastefully integrated within the building fabric. With our creative and unique lighting solutions adding a sophisticated sparkle, the fusion of old and new within this project promises to make The Post House something really special.

Intecho has been awarded a substantial contract to design and deliver a multi layered control system for a superb luxury home in North West England. Situated on the water’s edge of a picturesque lake, the project is due for completion early 2012 and is sure to be landmark property once complete.

Following some excellent referrals, Intecho was brought to the attention of the private client, who required a system integrator with high engineering standards and expertise. KNX technology will be used throughout the residence to control lighting, heating, air conditioning and blinds. The project also includes a high specification AV system inclusive of a cinema room along with an extensive security package. All of these systems will be designed, engineered and commissioned by Intecho. We look forward to getting started and moving this excellent project forward.

Modern day living can sometimes seem like it’s set to fast forward. With ever increasing time pressures in the work place, long commutes, school pick-ups, and the continual balance to be maintained between work and family life, there is often little time left over to stop and relax.. or even sleep. There are many time saving devices commonplace in the home, take the washing machine or microwave for example, but the next step is to make your house itself work harder for you. An intelligent home can help you save time and money, increase comfort, and also make the most of those few precious quiet moments.

Arriving home on a dark winters evening, avoid the need to run around turning on lights and heating and closing curtains, have your house do it all for you. It will even remember how you like to have the living room wall lights dimmed to 50%, the kitchen to 20%, the low lights on the stairs on and the little lamp on the landing. The same applies to returning home on a hot summers day, your energy efficient home can tilt blinds to reduce full sunlight, open windows, and only if these measures fall short, engage the air conditioning. All this is achievable with the integration of a home ‘welcome scene’ function.

A welcome scene is a range of presets that can be initialised on entering your home, by the press of a ‘welcome’ button located on your control panel. Not only can it offer full flexibility in term of lighting, but can be integrated with sensors that will, dependent to the temperature and outside light intensity, automatically close curtains and decide whether heating or cooling is required. A ‘leaving’ button is also present on the control panel to inform the house as you leave that it is now un-occupied. With this information the house will reduce heating and lighting to save energy, and return to an automated status, occasionally altering lighting to give the illusion that the house is still occupied.

The morning rush can be a difficult time in the family home, but there are certain automated steps that can be taken to lend a hand. A gradual fade-in of bedroom lights can give a more natural start to the morning, and can be synchronised with music or radio to ease the shock of a morning alarm. You can have the kettle set to boil ready for you, and make use of the ‘leaving’ button on your control panel to save time making your way out of the front door. The maintaining of temperature within the home can also make mornings more bearable. With no need to face the cold as you step out of bed on a winters morning, and a better quality, cooler nights sleep during hot summer months, this should help everyone to be well rested and make for an easier get-up in the mornings.

Another benefit to an automated home is the ability to control it remotely from just about anywhere. This gives you the ability to click the heating on from your iphone if you’re due to arrive home from work unusually early, or to set your ‘leaving scene’ from your laptop if you’ve forgotten to tap the button on your way out in the morning.

Speak to Intecho to find out more about intelligent controls for your home, and how they can be tailored to your needs to save you time and money and make life more comfortable.