Project Spotlight: WIRED Goes Green
Located in an exclusive Los Angeles neighborhood, the 4,057-square-foot WIRED LivingHome is an example of how people can effectively balance green living with high technology and high design. "WIRED selected Control4 and The Hunter Group to provide the home-automation solution because of their leadership in home automation,” said Jay Lauf, Publisher of WIRED magazine. “Control4’s modular approach to home automation makes the category much more interesting and accessible to the ‘wired’ audience and perfect for this unique project.”
Control4’s home-automation solution is a perfect fit for the project because it demonstrates a balance of form, function and conservation. Control4 allows the sophisticated technology and entertainment systems as well as the green lighting and HVAC systems to be easily managed from a single point. In addition, Control4 helps the homeowner manage energy usage by automatically turning lights on and off or dimming them as needed. Control4 also manages the home’s comfort systems to minimize energy usage by adjusting temperature, opening and closing blinds as needed to create the most efficient use of energy while maintaining a comfortable environment.
Sustainable Design
To meet the high standards set by the USGBC and to respond to the market’s appetite for healthy, sustainable living, the WIRED LivingHome is designed to attain at least a Gold LEED rating. The home’s anticipated energy use is 36% more efficient than a conventional residence of a similar size. Sustainable features include a 4-kilowatt SunPower® solar power system, including high efficiency, all-black SunPower solar panels that generate up to 50 percent more power than conventional panels. Control4 assists with energy management by enabling consumers to regulate the forced hot air radiant heating and cooling system through creative programming and occupancy sensors, from any room in the house or remotely via a web interface.
The home also features a forced hot air radiant heating and cooling system; an environmentally friendly washer/dryer system that uses less water and energy by Bosch; tankless water heaters; LED lights that consume less energy than conventional light bulbs – all this in addition to the environmentally friendly construction process and materials used to build the home. “Participating in this terrific blend of technology, sustainability and design has been a fantastic opportunity as we collectively demonstrate the future in new construction and its unlimited possibilities,” said Eric Smith, CTO of Control4.
