Articles and whitepapers

Home Automation in Spain (2/8/2006)

By Yolanda Hartshorne, Ingenium

The way I see it, personal security is not a luxury, it is a must. Social build should have pre-installed wiring to provide homes with security. It would avoid expensive repairs in the case of water leaks, unnecessary deaths by gas leaks, warn of fire and intrusion, and could provide the infirm or elderly with medical alarms. Having smart house technology installed in social build would bring communities closer, make them safer for those inside, and close the gap between the haves and have-nots, even if only slightly.

As in much of the rest of Europe, home automation, in terms of a complex control system with user-friendly interfaces, is still a relatively new concept in Spain. Here, home entertainment systems are considered as home automation, full stop - a misconception which those in the industry are trying to put right. As we keep saying, home automation includes every system in the house which is controllable via touch screens, PCs, the Internet or mobiles.

Legislation may be playing a small role in promoting the market here; the Código Técnico de Edificación (CTE or Technical Building Code) stipulates that new social build must have solar panels as part of the government's strive to implement energy-saving resources. However, although the idea of pre-installed wiring has been around since 1999, we are still waiting for that to be included in the CTE. Nonetheless, the government does help to promote the sector by investigating new technologies and providing a primary outline of what the basic needs are for these products.

Demand

In Spain, due to the rise in burglaries in detached houses, the demand for security systems is high. Also, the Spanish are very house proud, and take a lot of care over the decoration of their homes; hence, the lighting and blinds control systems have been quite a success too. Higher up the market, people are discovering the wider range of smart home technology, such as full colour screens that can act as video entry-phones that can detect movement on screen, and create presence simulation scenes when the occupiers are absent.

Detached house in southern Spain

While custom install companies and some manufacturers tend to focus on the higher end of the market, there is still much to do in terms of education. In many cases, the technology is only discovered by accident, and unfortunately, those with a lower budget are often overlooked. The public has yet to realise that the technology is not just for the wealthy, and that a smart house system with basic features can be affordable.

Education

The Spanish public is still somewhat confused regarding terminology, the variety of systems available, what is being offered, and which is best for them. This confusion tends to slow the market from taking off. Widely-available impartial information is not easy to obtain, which is why publications such as HiddenWires are so essential as providers of unbiased information on the industry.

It is also down to businesses in the industry to provide some clarity, rather than take advantage of the confusion, as some do. Fortunately, the problem is being tackled by commissions that have been set up to develop legislation and establish terminology. One such commission, ASIMELEC (Asociación Multisectorial de Empresas Españolas de Electrónica y Comunicaciones), has just brought out a small but rather helpful publication explaining the jargon used in the smart house sector.

ASIMELEC logo

For the market to move forward, grow and benefit, vested interests must be left aside when dealing with legislation, standardisation issues and general informative committees. There is a need for commissions such as TAHI (the Application Home Initiative), which has managed to gather various companies together and discuss how we can grow the industry without each one 'selling' his/her company.

Regarding education, this year in Spain, three master's degrees in smart housing are being launched in universities. Optional credits have also recently been made available in the Ciclo Formativo Medio (technical college education) where students can choose modules in smart house systems. In Madrid, the UPM (Universidad PolitŽcnica de Madrid), a Hogar Digital (Digital Home) has been built in the campus, so that students can go from theory to seeing devices in practice. Sponsors are, amongst others, Telefónica, Roca (bathroom), Siemens white goods and Ingenium system control devices. You can see more about the Hogar Digital at www.comisionhogardigital.org.

Businesses

The range of home automation companies in Spain varies, depending on their understanding of the words 'home automation'. Smart house companies with an important presence in Spain are the home-grown Ingenium, the German Schneider and Siemens, and the American ABB and Honeywell.

Spa installation in Almeria

Unlike in the UK, installers in Spain are mainly freelancers, and distributors are mainly warehouses. It is interesting to find that in the UK, some distributors act as agents for manufacturers, offer training to installers and provide solutions to clients. While many of the Spanish companies do offer training, Spain in general could learn some helpful lessons from these practices.

The Future in Spain

In the last ten years, new home building in the UK has grown by some 4%, whereas in Spain it has risen by 80%, and our company, Ingenium, has grown alongside this rise and profited from it.

Ingenium touchpanel showing a 3D personalised plan of an installation

There is no doubt that, as a slow background process, legislation is helping to promote the industry, and commissions such ASIMELEC are trying to define a good business model, outlining who is to do what, and at which stage of a project. Standardisation will also help reduce confusion in terms of product compatibility, and help to protect the consumer.

This is the current situation we find ourselves in, and which we, as members of ASIMELEC, are working towards. If all parties pull together, by the time our young students graduate in the next five years, the home automation industry in Spain should be blooming.

Yolanda Hartshorne is the Export Manager for Ingenium. Ingenium is dedicated to the research, development and manufacture of smart house systems and devices, and has created its own communications protocol, BUSing.

www.ingeniumsl.com