This system goes much further. Photocell sensors are positioned throughout the house to determine how much sunlight is entering and how much additional artificial illumination is needed. The AMX home automation system retrieves local weather information from the Internet and operates the lighting and motorized Lutron Sivoia QED shades accordingly. If it’s a sunny day, for instance, the shades can rise to increase the solar gain, thereby requiring less heat and lighting.
The home control system regulates a complicated water recirculation system that brings hot water to the taps so cold water won’t be wasted. However, that uses power, so the AMX system ensures that it only recirculates when necessary.
The AMX system also acts as an energy monitor. It connects to the solar system’s inverters to read how much electricity the house is producing, and on its touchscreens can show much energy every device on its network is using. It can’t provide information on the house’s total consumption, however, as major appliances aren’t connected to the network.
Conundrum even found ways of making the home theater more energy efficient. Instead of a 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 surround-sound system, Perez used a Meridian-based 3.1 system with phantom surround channels, thereby saving energy and resources. The Meridian speakers also have their own built-in amplifiers (more savings on wire). And because a digital signal can travel right to the Meridian speakers, Conundrum used coaxial cable instead of thick copper speaker cables.
An amplifier for the whole-house music system can be shut down completely, thanks to an AMX PC-1 switch. Doing so reduces the amp’s standby (or vampire) power consumption.
Does Size Matter?
So can a big house like this really be green? Some may object about its size, but there’s no doubt that it’s much greener than it would be without its many energy-efficient and sustainable features.
“I feel that we’ve set a new standard in building, and the size doesn’t matter as much,” says Hamrick. “We challenged ourselves to do the right things by making it healthier, greener, more sustainable, instead of just what we wanted.”
She says going greener with her home also reduces the guilt of some of the excess features, like a driveway heating system. “Wealthier people can afford not only to build a home right, but to buy healthier and smarter and greener homes,” she says. “And once more of these items are brought to the marketplace, it becomes more affordable and accessible to all.”
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Systems Design and Installation
Conundrum Technologies
Avon, Colo.
www.conundrumtechnologies.com
Builder
Ecoexistence
Vail, Colo.
Equipment
2 Homeworks 59” Enclosures, each holds 8 modules (HWI-PNL-8)
1 Homeworks Wired 8 Series Generation 5 Processor with Module Interface (H8P5-MI-120)
3 Homeworks Remote Power Modules with Auto Detect (HW-RPM-4A)
1 Homeworks Remote Power Modules with Relay Switching (HW-RPM-4R)
28 Homeworks Remote Power Modules with Dimming (HW-RPM-4U-120)
3 Homeworks Module Interfaces (HWI-MI-120)
1 Homeworks Auxiliary Power Supply (PPS2-120-15DC-3A)
5 Ballast Interfaces (GRX-TVI)
86 Homeworks Wired seeTouch Keypads with Custom Engraving (STWD)
1 Ni-3100 NetLinx Integrated Controller
2 NXD-1000vi 10” Touch Panels
1 MIO-R4 Remote Control with Touchscreen
1 Zigbee Communications Network
34 Sanyo 200W Modules
1 Fronius IG5100 Inverter
1 Fronius IG3000 Inverter
2 Fronius IG Cards (provides integration with AMX system)
10 AMX ENV-VST-C Color Communicating Thermostats
1 Matrix 8 Zone Audio Switcher
19 SpeakerCraft Custom Round Series In-Ceiling Speakers
2 SpeakerCraft Outdoor Elements Outdoor Speakers
1 Edimax 4 Port Wireless Router
1 Edimax 32 Port Switch
1 Edimax Wireless Access Point
1 Da-Lite 133” Cinema Contour HDTV Format Screen
1 Chief Ceiling Projector Mount
1 Middle Atlantic Equipment Rack
1 Sim2 D75 Projector
2 Meridian DSP5000 Speakers
1 Meridian DSP33 Center Channel Speaker
1 Meridian DSP1500 Subwoofer
1 Meridian G68 Digital Processor
1 Sony Blu-Ray Player
1 Comcast HD Digital Cable Box
7 Fortress Theatre Chairs – Eco-Leather
6 LG 22LG30
2 LG 42LG30
1 LG 26LG40
1 Snap AV D3-F-BLK
1 Chief JWD-210B
1 Chief PWR-UB
2 Chief FWD-110B
2 Snap AV D2-T-BLK
2 Chief PAC-501B
5 Speaker Craft IRC-2.1B
5 Speaker Craft PS-1.0
5 Speaker Craft AT-1.0
5 Speaker Craft IRE-1.0
5 Speaker Craft IRE-2.0
10 Niles NILC5HDDA
1 Integra DTR-4.9
47 LED Power LB364-WASP-100
4 LED Power LB363-WASP-100
14 LED Power LB362-WASP-110
9 LED Power LB361-WASP-100
19 Dimmable Power Supplies
3000 ft. 18/4 Fire Wire
3000 ft Cat5e Yellow
2000 ft Cat5e White
4000 ft Cat5e Blue
6000 ft RG6 Quad Shield, Black
4000 ft 16/4 Signature Select Speaker Wire
3000 ft Lutron Graphic Eye/Master Keypad Cable
2000 ft 18/4 Gray
This JVC projector offers more onscreen pixels than most, and a THX mode.
DPI, Sunfire and SnapAV deliver high performance at a reasonable price.
Sayonara, set-top box? Or will it just take an energy-saving nap?
It’s hard to imagine life without remote controls, but it’s been a long, strange path to the modern incarnation we know and love today.
My personal opinion is that a large home can be green. I believe it needs to be looked at in the context of a like-sized home that has not implemented green technologies and processes.
I am certain that there is a contingent of purists out there that would advocate something along the lines that every person would be alloted X amount of square feet in a home. That would mean that every 2 person home would be the same size, every 3 person the same size and so on. To take it a step further, would it not be green anymore if a person moved out of a 3 person home and leaving only two there?
Most people do not consider the green movement as an entry way to socialism. I believe a plurality of people believe it is a path to doing things better than we were doing before.