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Industry Opinion: Do We Need Standards? (4/1/2010)

By Yasmin Hashmi, HiddenWires

Happy New Year to you all! As you can see from this bumper feature on home automation, despite the cold weather, the discussion about how the market can progress is hotting up. Automation offers many opportunities for installers to grow their businesses, and is extending its reach far beyond the areas traditionally associated with the technology. With so many disparate systems to potentially integrate and control, we asked a number of leading lights whether, in order to promote widespread adoption of home automation, the industry needs standards.

Here are their replies (additional comments on this issue can be found at the HiddenWires LinkedIn Group where you can also participate in the discussion):

Jonathan Mangnall, Sales Director UK, AMX (UK) Ltd

Yes the industry absolutely does need standards. In a time when the majority of systems in the home are IT based, consumers are becoming network and IP savvy. The convergence between AV and IT is leading to the majority of systems adopting IP as a standard for both control and management. IP-based technologies provide an easy way to control and distribute over both wired and wireless networks. By using industry standard Cat5-type cabling and industry-standard Ethernet-type switches, it is possible to provide connectivity and control anywhere in a building, without bespoke cabling This then enables a virtually unlimited number of device types and appliances such as PCs, laptops, audio and video distribution, lighting, touchpanel control systems etc, to be connected to provide a solution that is cost-effective and extremely flexible and future proof. Over the last few years AMX has acquired a number of companies across the AV and IT spectrum enabling us to provide complete end-to-end solutions based on one common platform. The AV Industry is still relatively immature, and it is up to the larger players in the AV market to adopt standards-based protocols and encourage a move towards a common platform.

www.amxeurope.com

Khalifa A. A. AlJaziri, Managing Director, e-Home AUTOMATION

The question is a 'chicken and egg' one. We have seen, heard of and recovered many disastrous installs where poor-quality design or implementation by other integrators has created a big problem for the client, and we know we are not alone in this. However, isolated cases of poor work will not drive better standards in the industry at the present time - it is only when there is mass adoption of the technologies that standards will be demanded by consumers. A good example is NICEIC, the UK's electrical contractors industry body. Backed up by Part P government legislation and with a good reputation, NICEIC-approved contractors are more likely to win work than those without this voluntary standards-based accreditation.

With no mass-market consumer pressure, and without government intervention, it is left to the industry to regulate and standardise itself. Clearly CEDIA has a big part to play, but many consumers aren't aware of the organisation or what it does. In an industry where even a simple issue like the adoption of IP-based control cannot bring a consensus, it is going to be difficult for the disparate players to come together and agree on standardization for the time being.

e-Home AUTOMATION has spent considerable time and effort in educating end users, property developers, consultants, architects and contractors in the Middle East as to best practice and implementation. We are also actively working with government bodies to bring standardisation of symbols and colours in AutoCAD design drawings. It is likely that, for the foreseeable future, professional companies will need to continue the education process and, through a good reputation earned through high-quality work, lead the industry by example.

www.e-homeautomation.com

Johannes G. Rietschel, CEO and Founder, Barix AG

Yes, the industry should adopt standards, but I have concerns that there are too many different scenarios and interests in the home automation market to formalise such a standard. What might work really well in thin-wall U.S. homes may not work at all in the concrete houses of Europe. IP and wireless IP would be ideal, but can be quite expensive if deployed to a single actuator/sensor. Wireless 'last metre' systems connecting to an IP backbone would be a more appropriate solution.

www.barix.com

Jay McLellan, President & CEO, HAI - Home Automation, Inc.

Ahh, standards. The wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many from which to choose! To answer the question in a nutshell, yes, we need standards, but we have all that we need, and one size does not fit all.

A good home automation system has the flexibility to support multiple standards. Manufacturers, such as HAI, must choose the standards they deem best for the application and market. That may be different depending on whether we are manufacturing the product or supporting another manufacturer's open or proprietary standard as a connectivity partner. Regardless of which standards we use in the products we make, we must support other standard and proprietary protocols that are familiar, popular and have an established distribution channel and base of installations.

The varying requirements of in-home devices make it almost impossible to rely on a single technology. Devices can be mains, battery, solar or system powered; fixed or portable; wired or wireless; high- or low-bandwidth; and all must meet cost requirements imposed by the market. The technology standards we rely on most are ZigBee for RF, UPB for powerline carrier and TCP/IP over Ethernet or Wi-Fi. But we also support Z-Wave, two-way X-10 and KNX standards as well as proprietary standards of our connectivity partners such as Clipsal, Lutron and Dynalite. My advice is to be less concerned with the standards, and more concerned with the longevity, reliability and connectivity of the manufacturer.

www.homeauto.com

Phil Main, Residential Segment Manager, Philips Dynalite

At this stage, it is unclear whether standardisation on a communications protocol for home automation systems is likely to promote the uptake of such technologies. However, standardisation has the potential to inhibit the evolution of home automation system development.

Significantly, home automation system functionality and network architecture design would be limited by the introduction of a standard communications protocol. Home owners would be less able to implement home automation systems comprising best-of-breed control technologies dedicated to lighting, audio-visual, temperature and security. Here, it is the home owners that will lose out.

Instead, we feel that integration of best-of-breed technologies is the way forward. In such a scenario, the home's numerous automated processes are supported by a single integrated control and automation system, incorporating individual best-of-breed control technologies to provide the occupant with the highest level of control available. Such systems enable home owners to leverage the high levels of specialised functionality of each individual control technology. Ideally, dedicated sub-systems are networked and overseen by a central control system, which can be configured and managed via any of the home's touchscreens, or customised graphical user interfaces.

As lighting tends to be the one system that permeates throughout the entire house, it makes sense to use it as the central communications backbone for the entire network. Such network architectures allow wiring infrastructure to be minimised, and permit simplified upgrades, extensions and modifications. A first-class automated home is really the sum result of a number of control systems working fluidly together. When implemented correctly, integrated home automation systems provide owners with a powerful combination of sophisticated functionality and flexible, easy-to-use operability.

www.dynalite-online.com

Ahmad Ezzeddine, Export Manager, Dinitel 2000

It could be argued that before discussing standards, we should ask ourselves about what we believe in and what our real goal is, as manufacturers of such innovative technology. The way I see it, our goal should be to adapt home automation technology and spread it to every single segment in the building market, bringing the huge benefits that this technology offers within reach of every homeowner. In this context, a common protocol would definitely be the first step towards achieving this goal. The benefits of establishing a standard are evident. From a customer perspective, a single standard would definitely simplify the system selection process for those homeowners who actually take the initiative and make the final choice. Investors would be more keen on investing in this type of technology since the risk of obsolescence would disappear. A single standard would also make life easier for installers, with all installations running on the same protocol.

The stage at which we are right now shows that the sector is heading towards a certain maturity, with successful standards already spreading fast. But this promising transition is also a delicate one. The path towards the adoption of a common protocol should be trodden with extreme care. It must have the support of all of the key players in the industry, and there must be a balance between manufacturers and customers to ensure that the business remains competitive. Home automation technology has a huge potential which is yet to unfold, so if we manage to keep the sector open and dynamic, new opportunities and applications will ensure our long-term success.

www.dinitel.com

Rudy Musschebroeck, Marketing Manager, Philips Consumer Lifestyle

In short, yes. The issue with standards though, is that they are not always synonymous with solutions - especially when it comes to control. We have been overwhelmed in the past few years with new standards such as ZigBee, Z-Wave, PLC, UPnP and even HDMI which includes control possibilities as part of the HDMI CEC standard. While some of these standards are complimentary, others clearly compete.

So the paradox is that while each of these standards individually aims at making things simpler, the short-term result has been increasing complexity. That makes it a huge challenge for consumers and installers to keep up and make the right choices.

We believe a key technology in this context is TCP/IP. It is the technology of choice to link all systems in a home together. It offers an ability to integrate with the existing data network infrastructures and to link a home to the Internet. That is why the technology is gradually replacing RS232 as the integration interface common to all subsystems in a home, whichever other technology they each use.

It is not an accident that all of our Pronto control system is built on this technology using WiFi and Ethernet connectivity technology which has been optimised to enable reliable control with fast response times and exceptional battery life. Our control panels take full advantage of the convergence, making it possible to not only control everything inside the home, but show status feedback and access to your digital music, video and picture collections. It is even possible to access information from the Internet such as the latest weather or traffic information - all from a single control device. It is a perfect example of how a common standard allows installers to deliver more scalable, integrated, reliable and flexible systems to consumers.

Convergence of AV, lighting, security and climate control, are a reality now. New applications, such as remote monitoring and control or energy saving applications are next in line. Yet to make this happen it is crucial that manufacturers adopt an open philosophy and work closely together, like we have been doing with our Prontoscript partnership program. A communication standard such as IP is not enough; we need to share application protocols that define the device behaviour and the optimal human interaction; aspects that typically are not covered by standards and that are crucial to the control experience of a consumer.

By working together with numerous industry partners, we are able today to offer a constantly growing number of two-way application modules. These seamless solutions allow our installers to offer the integrated applications that consumers are expecting, without any need for programming, and at an affordable cost.

We want installers to spend less time figuring out technologies and gluing together technically incompatible systems, and instead spend more time with their customers. Actively listening, seeking to understand the individual needs of a customer, and spending time on tailoring user interfaces; that is where the real added value of a system integrator is.

www.pronto.philips.com

Steve Calder, Director, Niko (UK)

The industry does need standards - not only in competence of its installers but of the competence of its distributors and manufacturers. An installer can only be as good as the training and support they receive. Distributors and manufacturers who hand out training certificates without the training and qualification of certification being compliant to an industry standard, only devalue the industry and the certificates that its manufacturers are issuing.

In this age of converging technologies, it is no longer practical for manufacturers to be precious about protecting its codes from its contemporaries, rivals and clients. For this industry to take off, we must be professional, efficient and compatible, otherwise we are in danger of becoming elitist and proprietary, and integration will become an impossible dream.

What is required is a unitary body such as NICEIC to audit manufacturer and distributor training courses and certification and indeed technical support. The manufacturer and distributor can then be certificated as being Industry compliant, and installers/integrators can also have their projects certificated as being of an adequate standard. Only by this root and branch approach will the certification process have any credence and the standard have any real value.

www.niko.be

Pete Baker, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Remote Technologies, Inc.

While it would certainly be helpful for integrators if manufacturers were able to establish a universal communication protocol, it is unlikely that this will happen in the near future. For some manufacturers, making it easy, or perhaps even easier, to integrate their products with those of competing manufacturers instead of their own isn't very appealing for obvious reasons. Therefore the control system will continue to be the key factor in making various components integrate and play well together, and the control system manufacturer will continue to shoulder some of the responsibility in the integration process.

A more limiting factor to the widespread adoption of home automation has been the investment level for the equipment and programming required to set up and maintain the system. However, this has changed over the past few years as more powerful control products have been introduced by leading manufacturers, and the investment level will continue to drop to more modest levels in the coming years. The demand for home automation will also continue to grow with consumers' increasing interest in managing more technology in their home, such as HVAC and lighting systems, and the energy efficiency, security, and convenience that control systems offer.

www.rticorp.com

Graham Gunn, Domotics

There are three broad categories for potential standards, namely quality and reliability, functionality and performance, technical approach and equipment interfaces.

Having spoken with hundreds of potential home automation clients, including end users, architects, M&E consultants, property developers, project managers, etc, the most common questions concerning the adoption of home automation are: 'What can it do for me in terms of comfort, convenience, safety, security and energy management?', 'Is it reliable, easy to operate and adapt to changing needs?' and 'How much will it cost to install and maintain?' The industry first needs to address its presentation of these issues, to at least capture the interest of more potential customers.

Standards from the customer's perspective, should relate to the quality and reliability, or the functionality and performance of a product or system. Setting such standards would be challenging, but working on a grading system, such as the EU energy efficiency ratings for electrical appliances, for a range of criteria, may be a suitable starting point.

From the system designer/installer perspective, electrical, mechanical and communications interface standards for all products and subsystems might seem ideal, but the question is whether the technologies involved have progressed to the point where fixed, common standards for everything would a) be possible at all, and b) help or actually hinder the creation of flexible home automation solutions to suit all markets.

Standards generally emerge either from august, independent bodies that evaluate the overall requirements, or from an individual company which happens to invent something that many other companies adopt because it is useful. A large number of standards from both origins are already in common use, however there remain subsystems and products such as air-conditioning/heat recovery, audio/video, security etc, which for good technical reasons, use a dedicated internal control and communications protocol or other type of internal interface. This need not be a problem for home automation if they present an existing common standard control interface to the outside world such as IP, RS232, or a simple on/off contact, or are 'open' in the sense that a special interface can be compiled by the home automation supplier.

A home automation system is essentially an integrator and co-ordinator of other functional subsystems, devices and appliances, and therefore needs to communicate in whatever fashion that equipment requires. The approach taken by Teletask has been to provide the control interfaces that popular, commonly-used products demand - essentially making use of existing 'standards' whether they are universal or product-specific.

In summary, technical standards that have evolved organically as a result of experience and testing in the real world, can be very useful for the implementation of fully-integrated home automation systems. Standards imposed for other non-technical reasons or without reference to all market requirements, or which are intended to restrict lively competition in a dynamic, fast-moving environment, can actually hold back the evolution of home automation, by effectively reducing installer and end-use choice, pushing up costs, and thus inhibiting its wider adoption.

www.domotics.uk.com

Jonathan Pengilley, Managing Director, Habitech

Standards provide an open platform so that we can buy any brand of hardware, and we know that most of the time, it will work. Therefore we can save money and buy very cheap kit that nearly every time is a copy of the original, but cheaper, since the manufacturer hasn't had to spend one dollar on R&D.

Great, but doesn't this state of affairs stifle investment? I would refer to the IT industry every time, because the CI industry is not too distant and shares similar platforms. Love or hate Bill Gates and his merry men, they have produced the biggest standard of all - PCs and Windows. What has that given us? Access to very cheap hardware as I mentioned earlier, and a software platform that everyone, well nearly everyone, needs to adhere to. But there is the catch - Windows is actually quite an expensive operating system for a lot of simple machines. Yes, other operating systems have come along such as Linux, but their market share is small.

I have been looking for a low cost in-wall colour touchscreen for the last year, but can I find one? No. Why? Because to make it work with everything I want it to work with, it has be running a full blown copy of Windows. And Windows CE, the basic version of Windows, just won't cut it.

Like so many things in life there are always compromises. Standards are great, but by definition they are normally driven by one company that is so dominant in the market, they can force everyone else to adopt their standard. And in my capitalist experience very few big companies don't abuse that power once they get it. I personally think that one of the reasons that Microsoft has been so successful and lasted so long is that they haven't abused that power anything like others might have. Take Apple for instance, they have created a standard with the iPod but they really do control us users by driving everything through iTunes. Personally this infuriates me more than the Windows environment.

So are there any standards that have been adopted worldwide that are really for our benefit and that no one corporation has controlled? Blu-ray? No, that's Sony's baby. HDMI? Well not really, as it's really driven by Sony and Blu-ray and as no one really dominates it, there are lots of features that are redundant such as the control element (we are still not using IR as Panasonic HDTVs won't talk to Samsung Blu-ray players).

So what's the conclusion? Mine is simple, for better or worse, technology is changing so fast that the lifespan of any product or standard is shrinking to the point that we are living in a three-year throw away society. If we are going to have a chance to wipe the slate clean, does it really matter if we chose Betamax, HD DVD or Super Audio CDs? No. but my friends will have had a laugh and I have had the enjoyment of experiencing cutting edge technology that really has enhanced my life.

www.habitech.co.uk

Mikaël Fauconnier, Marketing Manager, VITY

To date, home automation is more evident in technologically-advanced Western countries, but we are now seeing a real enthusiasm for it in emerging areas such as South America, the Middle East, and Asia. Moreover, the demand for comfort, entertainment and energy saving in the home, is continuously increasing, while installers and builders are demanding easy-to-install systems that minimise the number of cables and complex wiring required.

In order to meet the need for comfort, lower energy consumption and simple installation on a worldwide basis, we need to have an open standard. I believe that this standard is KNX. Its bidirectional bus enables the link between command devices such as pushbuttons and touchpanels, and the equipment operating this standard, including lighting, shutters, HVAC, energy saving systems, security controllers, metering, audio/video control, white goods, etc.

The KNX infrastructure is flexible and scalable, and it is possible to easily change the function of each command device by simple programming. It allows the user to have complete control over their home, and to define custom scenarios such as occupation simulation, heating management etc, with control even being possible remotely via an Ethernet/KNX gateway.

To ensure that KNX is adopted as a reference standard, the worldwide KNX Association is responsible for auditing the compliance of members' products and candidates and for issuing certification. This approach guarantees that the standard level of care and optimum quality are maintained. Today, we note that this standard, supported by large manufacturers such as Siemens, ABB, Jung, and Hager, has already made a big impact on the home automation market. As a manufacturer of home automation systems and as a member of the KNX Association, Vity has developed touchpanels that are directly compatible with this standard, and we really believe in its progress in the coming years.

www.vity.com

Yasmin Hashmi is the Editor of HiddenWires magazine. Additional comments on this issue can be found at the HiddenWires LinkedIn Group where you can also participate in the discussion. If you would like to be included in future opinion pieces, please send an email to opinion(AT)hiddenwires.co.uk.