Intecho News

20/02/13

Spotlight on Intercontinental Hotel, Westminister.

Intecho were delighted to be approached by the Intercontinental Hotel, based in Westminister, London, to design and implement a high specification lighting control system for the luxury establishment. The beautiful hotel is the first five star Intercontinental to be developed in the UK for 30 years and Intecho were particularly proud to be involved with the project.

The hotel is located in a beautifully historic 19th Century building and situated in the heart of London, with fantastic views of Westminister Abbey, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The hotel prides itself on its prestigious façade and their recently renovated interior, which with the help of Intecho, is now installed with a bespoke KNX system.

Our KNX system controls all areas of the hotel including reception areas, the 256 rooms, a presidential suite, conference rooms and all external areas. Due to the scale of the Intercontinental Hotel Westminister, Intecho had to place paramount concern on the energy efficiency of the technology and also concentrate on the ease of use, in regards to both staff and guests.

The bedrooms feature intuitive touch screens for easy control of heating and lighting and are discretely designed into the interior to retain a luxury feel. Our systems are both flexible and reliable, facilitating easy management of the property and the ability to monitor and adapt to particular specifications.

To guarantee the ultimate user experience, Intecho implemented transitional lighting scenes which are automatically tailored to change between daytime and evening settings. This particular technique is hugely beneficial to key front of house areas as it allows the hotel to create the perfect ambience, from dawn till dusk.

For more information on our commercial properties and developments, click here. If you would like get in touch with the Intecho team, contact us via our online form or call us on 0845 094 8489.

13/02/13

Make the Winter Months more Bearable with Intecho Home Intelligence

With the sudden cold snap which has descended upon the UK in the last few weeks, we are sure you’ll agree that coming home to a dark, chilly house is not one of the pleasures of your day. Imagine if you could set your lights to come on before you put your key in the door, to have your blinds and curtains drawn before you leave work, and for your house to be cosy and warm, ready for your imminent arrival. Luckily, Intecho have the ideal, effortless solution, perfectly engineered for you.

Our home technology systems give you the power to control every element in your home, remotely and instantly. If you and your family spend all day out of your home or you often pop back throughout the day, our KNX technology enables you to control your heating, whenever and wherever you need it most. Our comprehensive system, designed to the highest quality specification, allows you to choose between controlling your whole house, or just a single room. We can help control your underfloor heating, hot water and even set your bath to run! Next step, to have a cup of tea waiting for you once you step over the threshold.

One of the worst aspects of winter is the prospect of starting your day in darkness and by the time you get back, it’s dark once again. Using our iControl app and DALI lighting technology, you can set your lamps to come on just before you arrive home, much more welcoming. DALI technology allows customised lighting preferences, tailored to your individual needs and moods. With easily adjustable settings, you can welcome in the spring with the click of a button.

Intecho’s home automation system can be particularly useful if you’re taking a winter break this year; remotely accessing your heating and lightening can help to increase your home security. Having your heating linked to a KNX system, which will allow it to come on at regular intervals, can stop your pipes from freezing and the addition of dim lighting at night may provide that extra piece of mind you need.

If you like the sound of a house that works for you, give us a call on 0845 094 8489 or contact us via our online form.

15/10/12

Family friendly home controls: Sophisticated home control systems for all the family.

Ever feel like you’re constantly running around the house after everyone else? Well, with home automation systems that could all change. Tablet and smartphone controls allow the whole family to help run the home with just a touch or swipe. By installing KNX and DALI technologies all of your home’s features can easily be controlled via a mobile device.

With busy family life we’re always coming and going, and someone’s bound to miss the odd light switch, leave the heating on or forget to set the burglar alarm. With intelligent home controls there’s no need to worry about wasted energy or security risks. Simply schedule lighting, heating, and your security system to activate when needed. Need to make a change when away from the house? No problem. With remote controls you can manage your home from the office, during the school run, or when you’re out with friends through the intuitive smartphone iControl app.

Keeping track of the kids also becomes a lot easier with intelligent home control systems. Front door sensors transmit notifications via text messages straight to your mobile device to inform you when they leave and when they return home safely from school. This may not be the younger members of family’s favourite feature (especially when running a little late for school in the morning) but it gives you peace of mind knowing your family is safely where they should be.

Features that will get the thumbs up from kids and big kids alike are the entertainment systems that can be integrated around the home. Music and TV distribution allows you to enjoy your favourite band, TV show or film from anywhere in the house without missing a beat or scene (it also makes the battle for the remote a thing of the past).

So why spend all of your free time working at home, when your home could be working for you? To find out more about home control and automation systems visit Intecho’s residential portfolio.

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23/09/12

Smart thinking – the growth of intelligent building technologies

With global consumer demand expected to rise by 40% by 2030, and the EU’s commitment to increase energy efficiency by 20% until 2020, it seems there’s no better time to invest in intelligent building technologies. From residential and commercial properties to wider roll outs in towns and cities, smart technologies are used to promote the efficient use of energy and create big savings.

Research by Strategy Analytics shows that there is expected to be a sharp rise in the number of smart homes in the UK by 2017. An estimated 13% of broadband enabled homes will have at least one intelligent home management system. This isn’t surprising given the multitude of developments in technology and the benefits of smart home controls for homeowners. With the pace of life getting ever more hurried, any time spent away from work and chores is becoming more and more precious. Intelligent home controls provide user-friendly and time-saving energy management that allow users to make the most of their ‘me’ time.

In the corporate world attitudes are drastically changing when it comes to the development of smart buildings. Findings from a Pike Research report predict global spending on intelligent buildings management services to be over $1 billion by 2020. One of the main attractions of smart corporate buildings is the huge savings made through implementing intelligent technologies. Recent developments, such as the 13 floor San Francisco Public Utility Commission headquarters, are saving up to 55% of energy through using KNX building management systems.

Now, with the proven benefits in terms of efficiency and cost cutting, towns and cities are starting to roll out intelligent systems on a wider scale. Cities such as Stockholm and Singapore are using smart systems to operate and control transport, cutting traffic by up to 20% and fare losses by 80%. Intelligent emergency and policing initiatives in New York and Rio are helping to cut crime and develop stronger more effective emergency procedures.

The UK is now taking steps towards becoming the next big adopter of smart towns and cities. Earlier this year the Government backed a consortium of technology companies who are committed to developing systems that will help Britain move towards a more efficient and sustainable future. Some 30 cities from around the UK are currently bidding for a £24 million prize that will enable them to become a smart city.

As intelligent buildings technology specialists Intecho have been championing the move to smart buildings since 2010. We are passionate about innovation and sustainability. To find out more about how Intecho can help you develop a smarter future why not get in touch via our contact us page?

Sources: Pike Research Strategy Analytics GreenBiz.com PC Advisor BBC News Yorkshire Post

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20/08/12

Summer evening entertaining with outdoor lighting

As the summer months are nearing an end you’ll be forgiven for wanting to make the most of those long August nights. Barbeques at home or evening dinners away are perfect ways to finish the summer with friends, and with DALI outdoor lighting systems there’s no need for the fun to stop when the sun goes down.

When dusk begins to fall it can be difficult to get the right balance of natural and artificial light. Too heavy lighting and your guests are blinded by the glare, too little and they’re cloaked in darkness. Intecho’s intelligent outdoor lighting solutions can be programmed to adapt to the changing natural light. The DALI controls allow you to time external lights to brighten as the sun fades. Not only does this time-management create the best evening setting for you and your guests it also utilizes energy and cuts costs.

Aside from the practical elements of outdoor lighting, DALI systems can completely transform gardens and landscapes. Lighting displays with stylish transitions and splashes of colour turn your garden area into elegant visual spectacles. All that’s left for you to do is sit back and relax.

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14/08/12

Maintaining home security when on holiday

Did you know that one burglary happens every 40 seconds in the UK, and 44% of the time properties are empty when the crime takes place? This raises great concern for those of us wanting to get away during the summer months. Fortunately with an array of intelligent security options available there are ways of ensuring you have peace of mind when on vacation.

According to Home Office statistics, homes are at more risk from burglaries when they look empty. This is where occupancy simulation can help. With building management systems based on KNX technology, homeowners can program lighting, audio-visual systems and automated blinds and curtains to give the appearance of a lived in property. What’s more, with setups such as Intecho’s iControl all this can be remotely managed from your smartphone or tablet device while you’re away.

The second biggest deterrent to burglars is the presence of a solid security system. Through equipping your home with comprehensive intruder alarms and CCTV you are automatically putting up a big ‘no entry’ sign to criminals. Alarm systems fitted with intruder and movement detection ensure any unauthorized access to your home is recorded and reported immediately, while CCTV gives you real time footage of your home.

As market leaders in intelligent security, Intecho want to make sure you feel safe and secure when at home and away. We offer independent, confidential advice to help create the perfect security solution for you. Why not take a look at our services page for more information on protecting your property?

Source: Secured by Design

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02/08/12

Shedding the load: keeping cool and saving energy in the Middle East

The luxurious residences and idyllic setting of the Middle East make it a hot spot for holiday goers from all around the world. According to the World Tourism Organization the number of visitors to the Arab States this year is already up on 2011, and that’s before the end of the peak holiday season. While the increase in tourism is good for business it also puts extra pressure on hotels, property owners and transport providers to be able to manage such an influx of guests.

One of the main attractions for vacationers to the region is the spectacular weather, with temperatures averaging around 40 degrees during the summer months. Such heat levels put energy systems under extreme pressure. Just this week a huge power outage in India demonstrated how load shedding – where the demands for electricity exceed the power generation capability of the network – can have disastrous consequences. The BBC reported that 300 million people were affected by the power cut including tourists, commuters and residents. While it has not been confirmed, it is believed the blackout was caused by an ‘above normal’ demand on India’s Northern Grid network.

At Intecho we have a perfect solution to provide load shedding in regions with high temperatures to help combat power outage. Our KNX energy management systems divide the load and reduce traffic while optimizing the distribution of power. Through KNX all elements of a building or property, such as air-conditioning, can be controlled on an ‘as needed’ basis dramatically reducing the danger of over use and short-circuiting power supplies.

Solar energy solutions are also easily integrated into our intelligent building systems. Automated blinds can also greatly assist with reducing energy loads. Programmed to move with the position of the sun you can utilize natural light whilst providing shade to cool the building and thus use less energy. This form of solar shading is particularly useful in the Middle East where high-rise buildings dominate the skylines.

Finally, not only do our KNX systems deliver controlled load shedding they also produce great savings. KNX air conditioning systems alone create energy savings between 20 and 45 percent, while shutter and blind controls create savings between 9 and 35 percent. So when it comes to keeping cool and saving energy, why not let Intecho do the hard work so you can concentrate on running your business as usual?

Sources:

BBC – Hundreds of millions left without power in India.

World Tourism Organization

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25/07/12

Home Entertainment Systems: Keeping the kids entertained during the holidays

With the school holidays upon us you’re no doubt looking for ways to keep the kids entertained on those rainy summer days. An abundance of advances in intelligent technologies means the solution for childhood boredom is closer than you think.

The market for home entertainment solutions is so great that it is now possible to create bespoke audio-visual systems that meet every expectation. A family trip to the cinema becomes as easy as sitting the kids down on the sofa, selecting their favourite film and enjoying cinematic quality at the touch of a button from the comfort of your own home.

Away from traditional entertainment on the box, manufacturers are racing to create the most innovative and user-friendly smart televisions. Smart TVs offer a full range of online and offline applications. With access to the Internet and a multitude of TV apps there’s plenty of family fun to be had.

If all that still isn’t enough to keep the little ones busy, there’s the option of multi-screen entertainment, a hot trend for 2012. More and more of us are using a secondary device while watching the TV, listening to music or surfing the net. Now, some of the industry’s biggest players are creating consoles that bring TVs and mobile devices even closer together with the ability to effortlessly switch content from your big screen to the little screen.

As specialists in creating custom cutting edge audio-visual solutions, at Intecho we keep our finger on the pulse when it comes to developments in home technologies. If you’re looking for a way to keep the children happy, or to release your inner big kid, why not get in touch to see how we can help create your ultimate entertainment system?

27/06/12

The attraction of intelligent hotels – why the UK has it all

This year more of us are choosing to stay at home than travel abroad. In a recent survey 41% of those questioned said they’d be holidaying in the UK this summer, and with all the resorts and accommodation on offer, we’re not surprised. There is nothing basic about the modern “stay-cation”. From city breaks to countryside getaways, with intelligent hotel automation systems a holiday at home is nothing short of luxurious.

As guests, the look and feel of our accommodation can have a big impact on our stay. This is why resorts such as the London Syon Park Hotel use KNX and DALI systems to create the perfect setting to relax and unwind. Lighting sequences in the communal areas of the hotel give a sense of sophistication while guest rooms can be individually tailored for maximum comfort with KNX climate and lighting controls.

Feeling pampered is a holiday essential for many of us. With Spas, such as the Syon Park Hotel’s Kallima, all your health and beauty needs are catered for. The calming atmosphere created through ambient lighting and contemporary audio and visual solutions helps create a sense of tranquility and compliment the spa’s array of treatments.

Finally, sometimes we just want to get away to get some rest. If you’re more interested in lounging in bed than by the pool, hotel rooms with solar shading or blind systems are a great way to shut out the world and have a much-needed British siesta.

So when it comes to your summer holiday, when there’s so much right here on the doorstep, why go anywhere else?

14/05/12

Going Green: How intelligent buildings can increase worker productivity

We all like to do our bit for the environment, but did you know going green could also be good for business? Earlier this year at the 11^th Global Engineering Conference a number of industry experts spoke about the link between green buildings and worker productivity. Speakers at the event, which was themed “20/20 the Future in Focus: Rethink. Restore. Regenerate”, demonstrated the ways in which temperature, lighting, and the feel of their workplace influenced employees.

It’s bad enough being stuck in the office over the summer months, but even worse if it’s too hot or even too cold. Architects list temperature as the top complaint amongst office workers and say custom climate control systems are the answer.[i] KNX energy management for HVAC systems not only allows users to tailor their working climate to their personal preference it also helps cut waste and keep costs down.

Not surprisingly, lighting also plays an important role in keeping employees happy at work. Humans like natural light – that’s why so many of us flee to warmer climates in the summer! DALI responsive lighting controls utilise the sunlight in a space and reduce the need for electric lighting. This again keeps energy usage down and cuts energy and maintenance costs.

Finally, how we feel about a building affects how we work and interact in it. The biophilia hypothesis suggests humans have an innate connection with other living systems. Securing an environmentally friendly and sustainable future for a building through energy management and design therefore has a positive influence on the workforce.

As specialists in KNX technology, DALI lighting and HVAC systems, Intecho can help you on your way to having a happier, greener workforce.

[i] Green Building Impacts Worker Productivity Say Industry Experts at Carrier’s Global Engineering Conference

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