Australians: What HA Tech Would You Use in a New Build?
Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:29 am
I have the opportunity to recommend home automation for a new build on Queensland's Sunshine Coast and if feasible, basically every house system is under consideration. I know that some technologies I'm very familiar with are available, but expensive (Insteon & ZWave) and a house designer suggested a technology I hadn't heard of at all (Clipsal C-Bus). I'm sure that there are other tech common on Oz that I'm not familiar with. If there's an Australian HA site that lists them all, feel free to point me to that -- if not, here are some of the systems I'm looking at and criteria:
Criteria:
Thanks for the help!
Criteria:
- - Must have an API
- Ideally not cloud-based (but it's not a disqualifier)
- Indigo-compatibility ideally through plug-in, but I can hack basic functionality if there's an API.
- HomeKit is a plus (I won't implement Alexa or Google Home)
- Internet is NBN FTTN and Starlink, so connectivity shouldn't be a problem
- We can run CAT6A to any location we want and probably will want to use PoE for sensors, cameras and other nodes that might otherwise be battery or powerpoint powered.
- In all cases, nothing has been selected, so if we need a Mitsubishi HVAC over a Daikin because of HA and integration potential, we can make that recommendation.
- - Lighting (seems like all solutions are a micro controller behind a Clipsal Iconic switch?)
- Powerpoints
- Shades / Blinds
- HVAC (System hasn't been selected, but it will either be a multi-room, multi-zone ducted system, or mini-splits in key rooms. If one brand's controls are better suited for HA, then there's an opportunity to make that recommendation.)
- Security (Contact, motion sensors, smoke/fire and so-on. I think ideally, this is a separate system with API, but I'm willing to be swayed otherwise. I want to avoid battery-powered sensors, so this seems limiting)
- Door Locks
- Pool (Will probably be a container pool or swim spa. The ones that have been shown to me have an app. but I don't know about API)
- Solar PV & Battery Storage
- Per-circuit energy monitoring
- Rainwater, gray water and aerobic septic (I assume I'm just going to put contact sensors in the control boxes so I can monitor alarms, but if there's more available, I'm interested in solutions.)
- Cameras (probably Security Spy unless there's a more integrated solution).
Thanks for the help!