How AVD Australia turned a home’s technology mess into a masterpiece

ULTIMATE LIFESTYLE HOME

BY JESSICA GUYON

After years of simply ‘dealing’ with the technology in his home, one client turned to AVD Australia to create the life he’d always imagined

In 2009, AVD Australia was contacted by a disgruntled client who was experiencing ongoing issues with the technology in his home. The existing systems, previously delivered by a commercial integrator, were disparate, poorly specified, only rudimentarily documented, and programmed ineffectively—the sum of which was creating massive frustration for the end users. Over the next nine years, the client sought the help of AVD for bare minimum maintenance and upgrades but finally decided to give his home the technology overhaul it deserved in 2019.

The brief was to create a simple and powerful user experience utilizing the best-in-class technology across all electrical and electronic sub-systems. The client also wanted the technology to meld seamlessly both into his family’s lifestyle and the home’s striking design and architecture. Above all, he wanted to ensure his home was safe and secure.

The AVD team spent the next eight months bringing this vision to life without interruption, even amid COVID restrictions and while the home remained fully occupied.

A Delicate Balance of Tech and Design

The client’s experiences with high performance lifestyle products and assets meant his expectations were extraordinarily high. Luckily for AVD, he was also brand

agnostic with a nearly unlimited budget which gave them plenty of room to play.

At the home’s core, a Crestron PRO3 sits controlling the back end of the system with ease while a Savant Pro Host manages the simple yet powerful user interface on the front end. This was a bit of an unusual choice as systems integrators would normally suggest merging two primary control systems to be a folly, but this was the only way to deliver exactly what the client wanted.

Savant acts as the primary graphical user interface, leveraging the benefits of TrueControl II within the Apple iOS environment to create plan-based controls. The clean and intuitive interface includes “pinch and zoom” functionality enabling a quick and easy overview only available with Savant. Controlling the comprehensive under layer of distribution hardware and integrated systems is Crestron (SIMPL). Through custom-built gateways and servers, AVD made this once un-integrate-able and disparate system a now seamless experience.

Even with the presence of such powerful technology, carefully placed wall controls, handheld remotes, and floor-plan based iPad controls keep the architecturally designed wonder unscathed.

Weaving Technology into Everyday Routines

Once the technology was in place, the AVD team worked closely with the family to uncover their daily routines. The client informed AVD that he begins each day with a 5 a.m. workout session before the rest of his family is awake.

To ensure his safe passage to the home gym, the team programmed floor lighting to illuminate a pathway without waking the rest of the home. Upon arrival, the temperature, music, and TV are already set to his exact liking.

Beginning at 7 a.m., the rest of the home is awoken gently as the blinds and curtains gradually pull back to let in leaks of sunlight. Throughout the rest of the home, the fountains turn on, the doors unlock, the perimeter security beams transition from alarm to detection mode, and the family’s favorite news station plays on the TVs in the kitchen.

During the day, the home feels like an extension of the outdoors with expansive views of the Sydney Harbor on full display. In the evening, the environment transforms with whole walls of glass closing in to achieve a secure and snug environment. To top it off, the blinds automatically close, lighting is set to the preferred mood, and the family can choose from several preprogrammed scenarios for audio, video, HVAC, and security.

A House Made Home

At the completion of the project, the client was eager to participate in the CEDIA Awards, and even suggested the title “Ultimate Lifestyle Home” for the way the way AVD considered the details of his preferred activities and routines to create a space that functioned exactly for him and his family.

In reflecting back on the work of his team, Sandy Howard Founder and Managing Director of AVD Australia noted, “I’m proud of the way my team worked through difficult times to ensure our company was well represented, our client’s interests were respected, and the project was completed to comply with not only CEDIA’s standards, but our own internal standards, where compromise isn’t in our dictionary and excellence is everything.”

EQUIPMENT LIST

2N Almando Apple Blustream CCTV Crestron DoorBird Foxtel Future Automation Hikvision Logitech Parasound Samsung Sangoma Savant Socomec Sonnex Ubiquiti Yealink

CONTACT

AVD Australia Pty Ltd

344 Eastern Valley Way Chatswood, NSW 2067 – Australia

Phone number: +61 2 9906 2424

Website: www.avd.com.au

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THESE COURSES AT CEDIA EXPO

DISEÑO DE SALAS DE CINE EN CASA CASE STUDY: LARGE-SCALE LUXURY IN THE MODERN MDU

• Systems Engineering Track, Panel • Frank Santos, Vanco International • Session Number: CSA22 • Room Number D174, Wednesday, 28 Sept. @ 1 – 2 pm • 1 CEU credit

• Class being offered in Spanish • Systems Engineering Track, Seminar • Manuel Suero, NTX S.A. de C.V. • Session Number: CSB18 • Salon/Room Number: D168,

Wednesday, 28 Sept. @ 2 – 4 pm • 2 CEU credits

En este curso, Manuel Suero hablará de las configuraciones de “ Home Theater” diseño de cine en casa y calibración , ademas cubrirá los puntos que son críticos para su proyecto y la presentación final para el cliente. Multi-dwelling unit properties (MDUs) are in an amenities arms race, with community spaces diversifying to include spaces such as co-working offices, gaming simulators, and outdoor entertainment spaces, in addition to traditional luxury amenities. MDU projects overlap with custom integrators’ typical expertise, but also require some application-specific considerations. Using a real-world case study, Frank Santos will teach you how to articulate challenges, summarise considerations, and implement high quality audio delivery in an MDU project setting. Apartment complexes are coming to resemble luxury estates – will you be able to adapt to work on these new and exciting projects?

COMO MEJORAR TU OFICINA EN CASA CON LOS COMPONENTES APROPIADOS DE AUDIO

• Class being offered in Spanish • Audio Track, Seminar • Lina Maria Villa, Jacinto Studios • Session Number: CSB02 • Salon/Room number: D170, Thursday, 29 Sept. @ 2:30 – 4:30 pm • 2 CEU credits

Lina Maria Villa le mostrará cómo la acústica y sus componentes desempeñan un papel importante para poder participar en reuniones/juntas a distancia con una alta calidad de sonido. Con una buena calidad de sonido, las reuniones son productivas y la comunicación es tan clara como si fuera en persona. Aprenda por qué esta característica es fundamental para evitar el eco y no perder el valor de las palabras.

WHY THE CI CHANNEL IS PRIMED FOR WELLNESS AND THE HEALTHY HOME MARKET

• Wellness Track, Seminar • Michael Don Ham, RePure • Session Number: CSA33 • Room number: D171, Friday, 30 Sept. @ 9-10:30 am • 1.5 CEU credits

More than 80% of recent homebuyers and homeowners of all ages say they would pay more for a healthier home. Michael Don Ham will help integrators explore where science, wellness, and technology intersect so they can create healthy homes for clients. Learn how to talk with your clients about wellness, partner with other trades and professions, and communicate the importance of wellness in the home. Do you have a healthy home?

DEATHMATCH: VIDEO TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGIES

• Video Track, Panel • David Meyer, CEDIA • Session Number: CSA29 • Room Number: D174, Friday, 30 Sept. @ 1:30 – 3 pm • 1.5 CEU credits

Join leading experts in an interactive deathmatch panel discussion about HDMI, HDBaseT, AV-over-IP, and optical fiber. This unique, unscripted session blends panel discussion with fully interactive classroom Q&A to compare transport technologies to help integrators choose the best solutions to meet performance objective and feature support. Will you join the deathmatch?

ASK THE EXPERT: PARTNERING WITH ALLIED TRADES

• Business Track, Panel • Amanda Wildman, TruMedia • Session Number: CSA04 • Room Number: D174, Friday, 30 Sept. @ 3:30 – 5 pm • 1.5 CEU credits

Have questions about how to partner with allied trades to complete projects? This is your chance to ask industry veterans and get answers that can help solve your problems. As a first come, first serve forum, hearing experts answer other questions can also help you figure out your own challenges in real time. Will we see you there?