Story from the Sunshine Coast Daily
Felicity Richardson | 18th Nov 2011
ONCE upon a time it was almost unimaginable to think of controlling your house with the press of a button.
Welcome to the 21st century where you are given full control of lighting, blinds and music to set the mood for any occasion – a first date, romantic night in, dinner or birthday party – the possibilities are almost endless.
You may have heard names like Clipsal, Dynalite and HAI (Home Automation, Inc), each incorporating smart wiring into your home, but just how sophisticated can it get?
To give you a hint, home automation allows you to operate your home remotely whether you forgot to turn off the iron and only just remembered at work or you have gone away for the weekend and left a light on, control your home and energy use on your smart phone.
Better still, you have the capacity to turn all unnecessary appliances off so not to drain the power while on standby.
Home automation is making your house work for you. A house that suits your lifestyle and it can save you money. Using home automation technology, you can control electrical devices around your home, from your bedroom to the kitchen, and the home theatre room, gym, office and all rooms in between.
Mark Coates, owner and sales manager of Intelligent Automation in Maroochydore, said they draw up plans with each customer to make their house work for them.
“We sit down with each customer and work out how they want to operate their home. Every house is different,” he said.
“At the moment, the electrics are standard. This system allows customers to make a choice.”
Mark said the structure of the wiring used in home automation is different to that used currently. He advised this system best worked with a brand new home or renovation where qualified electricians can come out and wire up from scratch.
Intelligent Automation has a consultation section which allows clients to come in and see a sample of many products, voice what they want and have the drawings done up. An electrician then smart wires the home.
“You can get apps (applications) on your phones and iPads to control just about anything in your house.”
“This will be part of a house that stops people wasting in the home.” During the consultation, tariffs, energy efficiency, colours and looks of lights, power points and switches and those with or wanting solar are discussed, and house wiring plans are drawn up.
Before jumping the gun at the thought of cost and complexities that come with home automation, Mark said there were different levels of systems to suit different needs and lifestyles. So anyone from the family, to the corporate, even the entertainer or grey nomad can have something done up for them.
On top of being a major dealer with Clipsal, Intelligent Automation now also offer a fresh product only recently having come onto the market, the G-Switch.
This product is something Mark has come up with in home automation, one that is simple and cost effective.
“We wanted to get something into the market that is energy efficient and at entry level price so mums and dads could save money on their power bills. We get the product up and running and go through product training after the electrician fit out,” he said.
“Before all that, we sit down with each customer so they get the most out of their house.
“What we can do is, say at night as you go to bed, you can turn off all the standby power in your house with a button, but all your essential power will stay on.”
The G-Switch is an easy-to-use product that with the flick of one switch, all of your non-essential items are turned off.
It comes with a wireless receiver so as you are returning home a fob on your key ring will detect you are in a 30m perimeter of your home and all the power lights will re-energise. Furthermore, as you leave the house it detects no one is present and will turn off all lights non essential power and standby power. It is fully customised to meet your requirements and household demands so you have power where you need it, when you need it and you’re not paying for things that you aren’t using. It’s total control of your home, simple and easy.
Once installed, the G-Switch will start saving on your power bill. Non-essential power is controlled so it won’t chew up power on stand-by mode. Lights automatically go on and off based on the levels of natural light. The system also works in with solar to get the maximum benefit when pumping credits back into the grid when you turn off standby power at a switch.
“This hasn’t been done before,” Mark said on the innovation of G-Switch which is a more affordable product than those such as Clipsal and Dynalite.
Home automation is a long term investment, catering to different ages and needs, but most importantly it will save you in the long run. For more information on Intelligent Automation visit www.intelligentautomation.com.au, and for the G-Switch visit www.gswitch.com.au.
Commercialisation Australia
Intelligent Automation Pty Ltd |
| Last Reviewed: 27/06/2014 |
G-Switch – an intelligent power saving deviceIntelligent Automation Pty Ltd has developed a device for systematically reducing and controlling power use. The G-Switch is a circuit control device that will transform energy use. The primary aim of the G-Switch is to minimise energy consumption in both domestic and commercial situations. The switch can be integrated with supply authority metering to reduce peak demand. By combining designated circuits and a series of automated programming schedules, the G-Switch creates an environment that saves energy and maintains household / business functionality without compromising lifestyle.With assistance from Commercialisation Australia, Intelligent Automation Pty Ltd will develop an intellectual property strategy, marketing and commercialisation strategy for the product. |
Sunshine Coast Business Expo 2014
What is the Business Expo all about?
The Sunshine Coast Business Expo is one of the most high profile, engaging business events held in the Sunshine Coast region. It exemplifies the energy, passion and entrepreneurial spirit inherent in local businesses here on the Sunshine Coast.
Five booths have been reserved for Start-ups, Innovators and budding Entrepreneurs to provide support and services for these businesses to become sustainable. The Expo Innovators & Inventors Start-ups Hub initiative has been designed to provide support and opportunity for local start-ups, entrepreneurs and innovators to participate in the Expo at an affordable price and with a suitable package. Intelligent Automation were lucky enough to be winners of a stand at this expo.
The Sunshine Coast Business Expo was held at the Mooloolaba Tafe Campus. Mark Coates was interviewed at the expo and asked what the best piece of Business Advice he had ever been given was. Mark said “Give your Customers Value and You’ll have a customer for life”
Local small to medium business
There are over 35,000 businesses operating on the Sunshine Coast and approximately 96 percent are small to medium business employing roughly 50 per cent of all private sector workers. The Expo provides a valuable resource for these businesses to become more robust and savvy in a competitive and challenging market.
Innovator Start Up winners for 2014
