2022 KNX UK Awards Project Finalist – New Land Surrey Farmhouse
How does this Project demonstrate the diversity of KNX?
The project was a complete renovation of a listed farmhouse and all associated outbuildings. The interior design is in keeping with a traditional farmhouse style, meaning a traditional modern style of AV and building control integration would have looked out of keeping. KNX allowed us an innovative approach to the project, where the focus was on concealing as much of the technology as possible and using fixtures and fittings that were in keeping with the traditional style. We moved away from the traditional KNX style lighting controls in favour of more a traditional switch plate by Meljac with Jung binary inputs to control the lighting functions, the flexibility of KNX allowing us to use any manufacturer devices communicate with each other, meant there were no technical or design limits to the project.
How does this Project demonstrate a synergistic approach to building use?
The project consists of the main house and an additional 5 out buildings, all of which needed to be linked giving global control of lighting, heating and security. This was challenging due to the structure of the buildings, but KNX allowed us to run a single cable to each of the out buildings to provide a single distributed building model.
How does KNX add value and ease of use for building owners/occupiers
The property is a holiday home, therefore the owners need to be able to operate the main home and all the outbuildings as a single dwelling and manage it remotely. Basalte Home allows the owners to regulate the entire property temperature remotely to prepare the house for when they arrive and for maximum energy efficiency. With remote security monitoring and sight of all technology and plant through our premium Digital Butler service they have complete peace of mind when the property isn’t in use. The project also meets their desires for a traditional design that is in keeping with the listed farmhouse structure of the building. All technology is hidden, including concealed speakers for a traditional and distinguished design accommodating state of the art technology.
What functionality is achieved using KNX for this project?
Control Panels: The Basalte Ellie control panel is used in each room to control lighting scenes, climate and audio. Paired with Meljac toggle switches with inbuilt temperature probes teamed with Jung connectors. This provides the traditional design required by the client. AV: Basalte Miro remote controls for IP video and TV lifts Network: 10gb fibre backbone with Ruckus switching and AP’s
Why use KNX for this project?
The property is a listed building with a series of outbuildings and traditional features including open beams and beamed ceilings. The infrastructure and features meant we had to minimise the cabling. KNX allows the whole house to be controlled using one cable, and a single tray works throughout the building. KNX products were carefully selected to be multifunctional and minimise the use of other products. This meant we could avoid wall acne and provide the owners with complete building control using simple and elegant controls that were in keeping with the style of the property.
