The Denham Film Studios is a £120m development by Weston Homes, of 154 apartments and 70 townhouses. Bordering the Grade II-listed film studio building in Buckinghamshire is Miles House; three new apartment buildings spread over four storeys, providing some 105 new homes. For a number of these apartments, specialist contractor Amwell Electrical has designed video door entry and lighting, based around the Urmet IPerCom IP video product. This system combines touch-screen control for video entry, concierge call with chat facility and lighting control using the Max Pro seven-inch touchscreen.
Other apartments have been fitted with video entry devices from the Urmet range, while an Urmet IP cloud-based access control system has been installed site-wide to secure communal entrances. The townhouse plots, which were each named after film directors and cinema stars, also feature lighting control via the Urmet Max touchscreen.
The Max Pro touchscreen is powered by Android, using apps to allow integration to other systems, such as lighting, heating, energy display and concierge services, including parcel delivery notification and amenity booking.
Urmet Group Company, Yokis, makes digital modules to create home automation. Within the apartments at The Denham Film Studios, Yokis digital radio micro modules have been installed on every switched lighting circuit. Each radio micro module has a unique address allowing secure wireless connection to each module, creating a Radio Bus; and, every radio micro module acts as a repeater to extend the signal.
Amwell Electrical, which is a fully certified Yokis Pro Installer, programmed the Radio Bus using the Yokis professional app on a tablet fitted with a Yokey USB key. This app enables the configuration of each apartment type to be saved and the configuration file can then be used to duplicate the programming for each apartment. For example, one-bedroom apartments can have one setting and two-bedroom apartments another, simplifying installation. At the development, 1700 Yokis lighting control micro modules have been installed.
From a design perspective, Yokis micro modules are compatible with any style of retractive switch plate. This feature appealed to the developer, as Weston Homes was able to match the light switches to other plates, such as those used for the plug sockets, contributing to the overall finish of the properties.
There are a number of standard pre-sets when using Yokis micro modules in conjunction with retractive switches. Residents intuitively press once to switch the light on to the previous level used, twice for 100pc light, three times for dimming to 50pc and four times for the lowest dimmed level. Residents press and hold the switch to dim up and down through the range, releasing the switch when the desired level is reached. There is a digital coil protection system in cases where a push-button is pressed for a prolonged length of time. Yokis micro modules are silent in their operation and a soft ‘start and stop’ function is built in for improved light perception. Another function that can be programmed with Yokis is timing, allowing the resident to set a timer from 2 seconds to 4 hours, plus there is an option for unlimited duration.
Yokis can be installed as part of a new-build installation without the need for extra wiring. It also operates as a stand-alone system from the start, meaning that no internet connection is required as the radio micro modules connected to the switched lighting circuits and Radio Bus work independently from any touchscreen control or centralised processor.
The developer specified touchscreen control and the Max Pro touchscreen features Yokis inside. A built-in transmitter connects to the Yokis Radio Bus, enabling control using the embedded app. Control screens are configured using definable icons for switched lighting circuits – eg. hall, living, kitchen, etc. A popular feature request is for an ‘all-on, all-off’ function which can also be configured. Furthermore, the resident’s key fob (the same key fob that allows access to their building) can be programmed to activate a function, such as ‘all-on’ by simply offering the key fob up to the integral key fob reader within the Max Pro touchscreen.
Video entry was not a requirement for the townhouses, yet the Urmet Max touchscreens have a doorbell input and can be linked to the property’s CCTV cameras. An option was also provided to the developer for the use of Yokis micro modules to automate the electric garage doors.
There is a Yokis Home Hub in each property linking with the Yokis YnO app, allowing residents to control their home lighting via their smartphone or tablet by simply downloading the complimentary app. Lights can be switched on and off as well as dimmed through the app, even if the resident is outside their home.
The Yokis lighting solution is also compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. This provides residents with the opportunity to use voice control to further simplify and enhance their smart home, using commands such as “Alexa, set the living room lights to 20 per cent”, “Alexa, turn on the kitchen light” or “Alexa, turn off all lights”.
