The Crest – Интелигентна сградна автоматизация без компромиси
- Държава UK, Sutton-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
- Партньор на LOXONE Protek Specialists Ltd
Предизвикателство
The Crest is a highly specified, energy-conscious property incorporating a range of advanced building services and renewable technologies. The brief was to create a fully integrated smart eco building in which all major systems could communicate and operate together, rather than relying on numerous independent controls and disconnected technologies.
The objective was to provide an intelligent environment that automatically responds to its occupants, internal conditions and external environment, while maximising comfort, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy.
A particular engineering challenge was to develop an advanced underfloor cooling system capable of operating at lower floor temperatures than conventional systems, without introducing the risk of surface condensation.
Traditional underfloor cooling is often restricted by dew-point limitations, particularly during periods of high external humidity. The Crest required a more sophisticated approach, using LOXONE to continuously monitor temperature and humidity conditions, coordinate the cooling system and actively manage the indoor environment through the MVHR system.
The objective was to provide an intelligent environment that automatically responds to its occupants, internal conditions and external environment, while maximising comfort, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy.
A particular engineering challenge was to develop an advanced underfloor cooling system capable of operating at lower floor temperatures than conventional systems, without introducing the risk of surface condensation.
Traditional underfloor cooling is often restricted by dew-point limitations, particularly during periods of high external humidity. The Crest required a more sophisticated approach, using LOXONE to continuously monitor temperature and humidity conditions, coordinate the cooling system and actively manage the indoor environment through the MVHR system.
Решение
Protek Specialists designed and installed a comprehensive LOXONE automation system, making the LOXONE Miniserver the central intelligence behind the property.
Rather than simply providing individual control functions, the system uses bespoke programming to coordinate lighting, climate, ventilation, energy management, security, irrigation, access and entertainment.
Advanced underfloor heating and cooling
One of the standout features is the bespoke underfloor cooling strategy.
LOXONE continuously monitors internal room temperatures, relative humidity and external environmental temperatures to establish the conditions under which floor cooling can safely operate.
The system coordinates the air source heat pump, underfloor circuits and MVHR ventilation to manage the cooling process. By considering both indoor and outdoor conditions, alongside the calculated condensation risk, the system can optimise cooling temperatures rather than relying on a conventional fixed flow-temperature limit.
The MVHR is also integrated into this strategy, allowing ventilation to be adjusted to help manage indoor humidity and maintain conditions suitable for continued floor cooling.
This coordinated approach allows the floor to operate at lower temperatures while actively managing condensation risk, delivering a more capable and responsive cooling solution than direct blown AC units.
Integrated building control
The LOXONE system also manages:
- Lighting: Comprehensive internal and external lighting control, including dimming, switching, lighting scenes and automated operation.
- Presence detection: Occupancy-based automation, including lighting, comfort and security functions.
- Underfloor heating: Intelligent room-by-room temperature control and heating demand management.
- Underfloor cooling: Advanced cooling control incorporating humidity, dew-point considerations and external temperature monitoring.
- MVHR: Integrated mechanical ventilation control, working alongside the climate system to manage indoor environmental conditions.
- Air source heat pump: Integration into the wider heating and cooling strategy.
- Automated shading: Control of blinds and shading in response to environmental conditions and user requirements.
- Roof windows: Integration of motorised Velux window operation.
- Domestic energy management: Integration of solar PV, battery storage and property energy monitoring.
- Energy optimisation: Coordination of energy-consuming systems with renewable generation and available stored energy.
- Audio: Integrated multi-room audio with centralised control and room-based operation.
- Security: Integrated burglar alarm functionality, presence monitoring and automated security responses.
- Access control: Integrated entry and access functions, electronic door locks, as well as gate control and intercom.
- CCTV and networking: Integration of the wider property technology infrastructure. Providing intruder alerts that trigger presence simulation.
- External environment: Monitoring of external conditions to inform building automation decisions.
- Water management: Integration of the property's water infrastructure, grey water storage and associated monitoring including garden irrigation systems.
- Sauna controls to conveniently and safely operate and monitor the sauna temperature and humidity.
- Hot tub control for convenient operation and energy efficiency by using excess solar generation.
- Immersion heater control to make use of excess solar generation.
- EV Charging handled by the LOXONE wallbox to provide unparalleled control over EV charging with full eco mode to take advantage of excess solar generation.
All of these functions are brought together through one centralised automation platform, with intuitive control through LOXONE Touch interfaces, wall mounted tablets and the LOXONE App.
The result:
The Crest demonstrates how LOXONE can go far beyond conventional smart-home automation. By bringing together multiple building services, renewable energy technologies and environmental monitoring, Protek Specialists has created a property in which the systems actively work together.
The bespoke underfloor cooling solution is particularly notable, demonstrating how intelligent control of climate, humidity and ventilation can overcome some of the limitations traditionally associated with radiant floor cooling.
The result is a highly integrated building that intelligently manages its own environment, energy and comfort, with the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions and the needs of its occupants.
Rather than simply providing individual control functions, the system uses bespoke programming to coordinate lighting, climate, ventilation, energy management, security, irrigation, access and entertainment.
Advanced underfloor heating and cooling
One of the standout features is the bespoke underfloor cooling strategy.
LOXONE continuously monitors internal room temperatures, relative humidity and external environmental temperatures to establish the conditions under which floor cooling can safely operate.
The system coordinates the air source heat pump, underfloor circuits and MVHR ventilation to manage the cooling process. By considering both indoor and outdoor conditions, alongside the calculated condensation risk, the system can optimise cooling temperatures rather than relying on a conventional fixed flow-temperature limit.
The MVHR is also integrated into this strategy, allowing ventilation to be adjusted to help manage indoor humidity and maintain conditions suitable for continued floor cooling.
This coordinated approach allows the floor to operate at lower temperatures while actively managing condensation risk, delivering a more capable and responsive cooling solution than direct blown AC units.
Integrated building control
The LOXONE system also manages:
- Lighting: Comprehensive internal and external lighting control, including dimming, switching, lighting scenes and automated operation.
- Presence detection: Occupancy-based automation, including lighting, comfort and security functions.
- Underfloor heating: Intelligent room-by-room temperature control and heating demand management.
- Underfloor cooling: Advanced cooling control incorporating humidity, dew-point considerations and external temperature monitoring.
- MVHR: Integrated mechanical ventilation control, working alongside the climate system to manage indoor environmental conditions.
- Air source heat pump: Integration into the wider heating and cooling strategy.
- Automated shading: Control of blinds and shading in response to environmental conditions and user requirements.
- Roof windows: Integration of motorised Velux window operation.
- Domestic energy management: Integration of solar PV, battery storage and property energy monitoring.
- Energy optimisation: Coordination of energy-consuming systems with renewable generation and available stored energy.
- Audio: Integrated multi-room audio with centralised control and room-based operation.
- Security: Integrated burglar alarm functionality, presence monitoring and automated security responses.
- Access control: Integrated entry and access functions, electronic door locks, as well as gate control and intercom.
- CCTV and networking: Integration of the wider property technology infrastructure. Providing intruder alerts that trigger presence simulation.
- External environment: Monitoring of external conditions to inform building automation decisions.
- Water management: Integration of the property's water infrastructure, grey water storage and associated monitoring including garden irrigation systems.
- Sauna controls to conveniently and safely operate and monitor the sauna temperature and humidity.
- Hot tub control for convenient operation and energy efficiency by using excess solar generation.
- Immersion heater control to make use of excess solar generation.
- EV Charging handled by the LOXONE wallbox to provide unparalleled control over EV charging with full eco mode to take advantage of excess solar generation.
All of these functions are brought together through one centralised automation platform, with intuitive control through LOXONE Touch interfaces, wall mounted tablets and the LOXONE App.
The result:
The Crest demonstrates how LOXONE can go far beyond conventional smart-home automation. By bringing together multiple building services, renewable energy technologies and environmental monitoring, Protek Specialists has created a property in which the systems actively work together.
The bespoke underfloor cooling solution is particularly notable, demonstrating how intelligent control of climate, humidity and ventilation can overcome some of the limitations traditionally associated with radiant floor cooling.
The result is a highly integrated building that intelligently manages its own environment, energy and comfort, with the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions and the needs of its occupants.