Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/493534
Control4 home automation system. Houle Electric's West Coast Express installation at Coquitlam Central Station. A PR IL 2015 | 43 Electrical + Communication Systems PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ALLWEST ELECTRIC LTD./CONTROL4; HOULE ELECTRIC H ire a modern-minded electrical contractor and you'll work with a company that does much more than provide straightforward electrical infrastruc- ture. These days, electricians understand not just power, but also new tech- nologies that building owners and property managers consider crucial for project success, such as smart lighting systems, enhanced security platforms and home automation solutions. H O M E A U T O M AT I O N TA K E S O F F Automation and communication systems are two booming areas for modern elec- trical companies. "Whereas that used to be the realm of the specialty contractor, we're bringing it into our scope of work," says Anthony Dallazanna, president of Allwest Electric Ltd. Allwest installs home automation systems manufactured by Control4 Corp. Dallazanna explains that his company chose Control4 because the technology pro- vider's systems integrate with all sorts of home infrastructure, from any vendor – lighting, security, HVAC and audiovisual (AV) equipment. "You could even use it to control your toaster," Dallazanna laughs. "That's not very practical, of course, but if a customer wants to do that, they can." Allwest started working with Control4 about five years ago. At first, builders seemed skeptical about home automation. Would homebuyers really want it? Would they pay a premium for it? Would property developers and managers turn profits from it? "It took some time to get traction, but in the last 18 to 24 months, we've really started to see it come to fruition," Dallazanna says. He posits that one big event in the home-automation market changed people's attitudes toward the technology: Google's acquisition of Nest, which makes simple smartphone-connected thermo- stats. That transaction involved a whopping US$3.2 billion when it closed last year. "It created big hype everywhere. People started talking about home automation and wanted to know more about it." Although home-automation technology used to speak exclusively to wealthy cus- tomers, that's no longer the case. And that's another reason Allwest decided to work with Control4; the technology provider's platform suits a wide range of budgets. "We're doing everything from small condos to custom homes," Dallazanna says. For example, Allwest recently worked on two Vancouver condo projects at differ- ent points on the financial scale. For the 12 high-end flats at Highbury Residences currently under construction (available from $2 million), Allwest is providing Feeling Amped Technology's impact on the world of electrical and communication systems by STEFAN DUBOWSKI Control4 systems that enable unit owners to manage their AV, lighting, HVAC and security systems via smartphone. Meanwhile, buyers of the more modest Silver condos (available from approximately $250,000) can opt to have Control4 installed primarily for lighting automation. Unit owners will be able to add AV, HVAC and security features in the future as their budgets allow. "We're just achieving occupancy now, so we're planning to go back into those units to configure the systems with the homeowners' smartphones," Dallazanna says. He points out that electrical contractors are well suited to provide home automation solutions: "Typically on a new construction development, electricians are one of the very first trades on site and one of the very last. Home automation platforms require specialized wiring installed early in the building project; and when the keys are handed over, someone has to train property buyers and building occupants to use the technology," he says. "It only makes sense to combine home automation with our services." I L L U M I N AT I N G S O L U T I O N S Automation isn't the only area where companies that specialize in electrical sys- tems see room for growth. Many are reaching out to new clients in different sectors. Williams Engineering Canada, a Western Canadian multidisciplinary engineering company, for example, used to focus on power, data and lighting for new buildings. But lately, "we're doing some pretty high-level designs for institutional clients," says Raj Atwal, electrical engineer and project manager at Williams Engineering Canada's Victoria office. He points to two recent examples: the security work his team has done at Victoria International Airport, and the electrical systems Williams is designing for a large pharmaceutical compounding laboratory within a health care facility. Atwal explains that the Victoria branch is actively seeking new customers in novel industries. "The company gives us general guidelines on how to operate, but it's the employees who decide which markets to tackle and which projects to go after." Atwal and his colleagues are especially proud of one project underway at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Housed in the historic Spencer mansion (built in 1889), the gallery has grown over the years to provide new exhibition space for its massive collection of 18,000 artworks – the largest public art collection in B.C. Recently, the gallery undertook a major modernization project to improve the electrical, secu- rity and lighting infrastructure, and to reduce operating costs. The project's lead architect turned to Williams Engineering Canada to suggest an illumination sys- tem to meet those goals. The engineering firm is designing lighting that will adjust automatically according to the level of natural light in the space, so the gallery can reduce energy use. As well, "colour and dimming will be controlled," Atwal says. "The Canadian Conservation Institute has certain standards for different types of artwork. We will be designing our lighting output to meet those standards to protect the artifacts and maximize the visual impact of the pieces." "Historically, electrical engineers have just provided power to equipment," Atwal says. "They still do that today, but now the clients and users are more advanced. The knowledge is greater. People are looking at overall solutions to problems – not just how do we bring power to an area, but how do we optimize the operation of an environment? How do I make it as energy efficient as possible? How do we integrate with other systems? It's more of a holistic approach." S E R V E A N D P R O T E C T Holistic is a good way to describe Houle Electric Ltd.'s approach as well. The company is pouring its resources into best-in-class security solutions to help building owners and managers protect their investments – everything from property to employees. Houle installs and manages Kantech's hattrix building-security system for a num- ber of clients. As the name suggests (a play on the sports term "hat trick") hattrix is available in three configurations: hosted, managed and hybrid. As a hosted solu- tion, the hattrix hardware and software sits at Houle's premises, yet the technol- ogy gives customers full control over database updates, information backups and