Automating a Work of Art

Can-Nor Electric, a connected-design firm in British Columbia, was approached to endow a new, custom-built home located on a cliff overlooking the stunning vistas provided by Okanagan Lake in Canada with the latest home control technology.

The owners, a retired architect and a technology entrepreneur and inventor, wished this asymmetrically shaped two-story, four-bedroom home to be a work of art in itself - so one directive given to Can-Nor was that the walls had to be as free as possible from all electronics. “Being an architect,” explained Christian Skavas, Can-Nor’s president, “his focus on combining form and function without additional clutter was of utmost importance.  And she would not accept anything less than creative solutions that resolved aesthetic complications. Having a technology background, she knew that technology would help achieve her aesthetic goals.”

The clients expected minimalist design and were specific on the locations of everything. “So all switches were hidden, remotes were taken away, and TVs were mounted – one even on a lift hidden in the foot of the master bed,” said Skavas.

Can-Nor’s expertise in working around these client requests was aided in no small measure by using URC solutions to achieve their desires.

“With URC, the dream was a reality,” said Skavas. Can-Nor integrated Lutron controls, Lutron motorized shading systems, a gate entry system and security system and utilized the relays on URC’s processor to control powered louvers on the deck. “We built control macros to schedule Open and Close, as well as user control for the varying degrees of louver tilt,” he explained. Everything is controlled using the URC Total Control TKP-7600 in-wall touchscreen and URC Total Control app running on the homeowner’s Apple iPad.

“The customer was thrilled that we could build a control sequence within the URC system,” Skavas added. “Observing the look of amazement on the customers’ faces when they used the powered louvers for the first time was definitely a project highlight for us.”

Every room has music, including two outside zones and even the walk-in closet, thanks to URC’s DMS distributed audio system.

“Installing a URC system provided simple button presses executing macros to control lights, shades, deck louvers, music, TVs, etc., from the customized user interface,” Skavas said. “Having the ability to integrate so many different components and the reliability of the URC equipment made the project a success. The beautiful, customized user interface made control easy.”