Open SmartHome System "Prototype for Everyone"

Background:

I own an old house (about 270 years old) in which my company and my apartment were located. As the office kept expanding due to hiring new employees, I then moved into an apartment for space reasons.

However, that was not meant to be permanent. I wanted something of my own again, but this time "small but nice."

After various considerations ranging from tiny houses to mini houses, the decision was made to build a small semi-detached house and use one residential unit myself (about 65m² + terrace + garden).

The other semi-detached house is being built by my brother, and both resulting residential units will be rented out.
High-quality, ecological/sustainable building was important to us from the beginning. Healthy indoor climate, photovoltaic, heat pump + controlled residential ventilation, etc. were therefore fixed.

At first, I thought about some home automation (realized, for example, by Shellys in deep boxes, retrofitted myself to make certain things remotely controllable).

Now we (our company), besides general IT activities, are also involved in software development, programming, consulting in IT infrastructure & digitalization for larger companies such as clinics.

My brother is the lead developer of software that has been sold for over 20 years and is the market leader in this area in Germany.

Couldn’t one...?

Yes, one could... do it themselves!

By "chance," a bachelor thesis on an open (non-proprietary) smart home system was just under review by my brother (who also teaches computer science at the FOM).

Based on this and other works that demonstrated certain basics as well as further freely available information showing many additional possibilities of a smart home, we then formulated our wishes.

Desired was a "SmartHome" (as we understood it at the time).
We wanted to be able to at least control lights and blinds, front door with motor lock, possibly video intercom systems, PM etc. The wishes grow with the realization of what is possible. So voice control via, for example, Alexa should also be possible (where someone considers that useful).

Our key data were:
• Open system (no proprietary/cloud obligation, etc.)
• All active components, if possible, centralized in the distribution board
• No "bus switches" but "normal" Gira, Jung, etc. pushbuttons
• Affordable!
• Basic programming may be somewhat elaborate (specialists), afterwards the system should be adjustable by "not technically clueless" people (GUI) (This point alone can lead to days of discussion)
• We do the wiring and programming ourselves (my brother as well as one of our co-partners as software developers and me as IT specialist)
• The wiring is executed with ample reserve and smart home suitability.
-> Light points (lamps) all run directly to the distribution board
-> Sockets are routed room-wise to the distribution board and wired 5-core/three-phase so that almost every socket can later be switched by small wiring changes.
-> All pushbuttons are routed directly to the distribution board via (ample) LAN cable
(Discussion CAT7a/CAT8.x as LAN or 10DA etc. took place: Result: Almost everything is implemented as CAT7A duplex because that is overall more manageable and cheaper for us

The result will soon be installed as a prototype in my residential unit (one half of a semi-detached house = about 65m²). The photo of the small sub-distribution board is only a small part of the test system currently being set up! The Eltakos were only included for comparison (space requirement compared to the Controllino) and will probably not be used in the finished system.

Almost everything that speaks any language suitable for smart home can then be integrated into the system via appropriate "bindings."

The actual hardware (brain of the system) will cost only about 1000 - 1500 euros. It mainly consists of the SmartHome Manager (Raspi) and Controllino Mega pure (Arduino).

The programming of OpenHub etc. (open source) is done by our software developers/programmers.

Temperature, distance sensor, motion detectors, humidity, CO2 sensors, etc. can be easily integrated. Also, smaller touchscreens (20€) cost, e.g., only a few euros as "cornerstone components."

I will gladly report on the further steps, on the creation of the prototype when things move forward soon.

Notes:

The advantages of KNX are often talked about and are certainly partly true. If in "our" smart home the SmartHome Manager (which is also industrial-grade!) fails, almost nothing works anymore. With KNX all unaffected subsystems continue to run. However, the example described by : "... It is only necessary to connect another pushbutton to the bus cable and to parameterize it..." is hardly realizable in practice. The user cannot do it themselves, the famous "unicorn" is not there, and if the "system integrator" should come sometime, every small change/adjustment is extremely expensive. (This is the experience of 2 people familiar with KNX in their circle of acquaintances).

Please do not "fill" this thread with pros and cons of various systems. This thread is solely about "our" system based on the hardware and software components mentioned at the beginning - thank you!

I am curious. Unfortunately, this is initially only for new buildings. How about integrating retrofittable sensors, switches, and actuators via radio? Then one could gradually upgrade old buildings as long as there is at least power available for consumers.

The advantages of KNX are often talked about and in parts they are certainly correct. If the SmartHome Manager (which is also industrial hardware!) in "our" smart home fails, almost nothing works anymore. With KNX, all unaffected subsystems continue to operate. However, the example described by @Mycraft: "... It is only necessary to connect another button to the bus cable and configure it ..." is hardly feasible in practice. The user cannot do it themselves, the famous "unicorn" is not around, and if the "system integrator" ever does come, every small change / adjustment is extremely expensive. (This is the experience of two affected people with KNX in their circle of acquaintances).

I think this is the general fundamental problem of any arbitrary smart home installation: complexity.

Various wireless solutions can still be expanded quite easily. Search for the new wireless socket in the app, done. Turn it on and off via the app.

KNX is already nasty in terms of openness and complexity. It really annoys me that I first have to spend a four-figure sum on software just to parameterize the system at all. Technically speaking, I can handle the problem. But laymen who have bought a finished system and only want to expand a bit? No chance.

I have already praised the DIY solution with Controllino and Raspberry PI in another thread. But the complexity issue almost gets worse. Those who have built it themselves are super happy with the system, but if someone external (a new owner, for example) is supposed to make a change, they stand pretty much no chance. You can only hope that an electrician can build a new system out of the mess.

As I said, I like such solutions for home use. But spread over many shoulders who contribute parts of the solution, I find it very questionable with regard to personal maintainability. Programmers from the company will not want to fix your personal living room lighting on a Saturday night.

-Edit- Again, thanks for the detailed report. I hope you can keep us updated on how well the whole thing works.

The fundamental problem is imho not the HW, but the SW and the effort to set it up. That is a service business and is either overpriced or done yourself. Arduino and PI are all well and good, but they are disposable goods. Cheap investment at first but think about your warranty.

Unfortunately, this is initially only something for new buildings. How about integrating retrofit sensors, switches, and actuators via radio?

Really? The truckload of various already freely available radio solutions is still not enough for you? Seriously?

But laypeople who have bought a finished system and only want to expand it? No chance

Laypeople have to have their system built by the system integrator in such a way that changes are allowed without additional expensive software.

I think that is the general fundamental problem of any random smart home installation: complexity.

Hmm, that is actually not the problem but the nature of the whole thing. Certain things are simply complex... see car, airplane, etc. Both extend human possibilities and/or comfort and both are more than complex. The smart home is no exception here.

Those who have built it themselves will be super happy with the system, but if an outsider (a new owner, for example) is to make a change, they are pretty much hopeless. You can only hope that an electrician can build a new system out of the mess.

As said, I like such solutions for home use. But spread across many shoulders contributing parts of the solution, I find it very questionable regarding personal maintainability. On a Saturday night, programmers from the company won’t feel like repairing your personal living room lighting

Yes, that is why I am rather skeptical of these solutions. It is always interesting to see what one or another has built at home, and no question, an achievement.

But without standardization, it’s nothing more than the modern personal model railway.

Nevertheless, it is a great project by superzapp and I am excited to see what else is coming.

I admit, buying the ETS also annoyed me. But in the Summer Sale, it was quite "cheap". We told ourselves, that gets lost in the background noise of the overall costs. If I notice that we can’t get anywhere with it initially ourselves. Ok, that can happen. But in the end, in the long run, it will have been a good decision.