North Narrabeen Residence

Signify Dynalite Dimension Dealer, JFK Audio Visual, designed, supplied, installed and commissioned a home automation system based on a Signify Dynalite backbone to integrate with the home’s security, audio-visual systems and to control motorized blinds, floor heating and the front gates. For convenience and safety, activation of lighting and mechanical functions is also available to the homeowner through the security and audio-visual systems. In keeping with the requirement to prevent the technology from interfering with the house design, an equipment rack was incorporated into the study to keep all the home automation equipment accessible, centralized and hidden. The Signify Dynalite lighting system is programmed with a number of preferred lighting scenes for various areas, in order to facilitate set combinations of lighting preferences to suit different activities within the house.

Innovative lighting
Recessed halogen down-lights provide illumination for the living area, kitchen, bathrooms, master bedroom and pool area. In addition, three ‘Mega Bulbs’ pendant lights hang above the island kitchen bench and track lights have been installed in the living room. Further feature lighting above the master bed is achieved through the use of fluorescent tubes mounted in a custom-made fixture. Recessed fluorescent downlights are provided in the hallways and – in conjunction with two additional compact fluorescent pendant lights – in the study. In the other bedrooms and in the theater, ceiling mounted lights deliver functional lighting, with further feature wall-mounted up-lights in the theatre and children’s study area. A combination of functional and feature lighting is achieved externally by recessed path lights along the entry way, four recessed LEDs in the front deck, up/ down lights between the timber screen along the entrance and side of the property and wall-mounted TOVO spotlights in the courtyard, rear deck area and by the front door. A seven-inch wall-mounted touchscreen located in the dining room provides the primary user interface to the system, with two additional remote controls to operate the system from other locations around the house.

Flexible control
The lighting system is controlled over a single network through a combination of leading edge, relay and multipurpose controllers from Signify Dynalite. These are interconnected using Signify Dynalite’s sophisticated peer-to-peer communications RS485 network, Dynet and integrated with third-party systems via a Signify Dynalite RS232 interface. A total of 76 channels have been used throughout the house: 24 for dimming; 20 for relay switching; 28 for blind controls; and four for fans. The inclusion of a Signify Dynalite astronomical time clock allows a number of timed events to occur, primarily for the outdoor lighting. This device tracks daylight hours throughout the year and automatically turns on lighting at dusk. Four LED lights in the internal staircase and upstairs hall are also similarly programmed to turn on at 5pm daily. A multipurpose sensor located outside the laundry automatically turns on a halogen spotlight above the clothesline and a recessed halogen light in the ceiling outside the laundry door. This sensor also detects movement along the western boundary of the property and acts as a deterrent to intruders. Stylish Signify Dynalite DR2P Revolution panels provide the local user interfaces for the lighting and blinds throughout the house, with each button custom engraved to match its function. A mixture of faceplate finishes have been used, with white glass complementing the design throughout the house and stainless steel faceplates used in the kitchen to match the stainless splash back. Seven-button panels were installed to allow flexibility for the future. In instances where only three or four buttons were needed, larger buttons were used to cover the unused openings.