Page 29 - Climate Control News Magazine April 2021

Residential Air Conditioning
One system can do it all
THE SMART HOME automation market has been inundated with new technology and gadg- ets – a trend that isn’t likely to slow down any- time soon.
With more products entering the market, there’s every chance consumers will become confused by what it all means, what they should be looking for and how it all fits together.
Smart lighting, voice control, Google Home, climate control – the list goes on, where to start? The first step is finding a solution that can seam- lessly integrate with many devices, saving the hassle of having to install separate systems. Even better, finding a solution that integrates with a home’s ducted reverse cycle air conditioning sys- tem, so they can wirelessly control everything in the home.
iZone’s smart home system gives homeowners the ability to integrate lights, garage door, enter- tainment system and roller blinds with their iZone air conditioning system, allowing them to monitor and control everything wirelessly via a smart phone or tablet.
If there is a device in the home that can be turned into a smart device, you can bet the team at iZone will be first in line. For example, the company’s new Smart Video Doorbell and Smart Indoor Camera, integrates with the iZone Air Conditioning system. Being able to see who is at the front door and to open the garage door for a parcel delivery is pretty cool, especially if nobody is home. With iZone it is easy to do with the push of a button on a smart phone.
Their video doorbell acts as a real two-way ra- dio providing superb clarity, and no more chop- py sounds like you get with a walkie-talkie style system. Visitors can listen, speak and leave voice messages just like a phone call. If all this isn’t ge- nius enough, the product also has a built-in fa- cial recognition feature that can alert if family or friends are at the front door, with a bit of pro- gramming of course.
The Smart Indoor Camera allows homeown- ers to see what’s happening in their home in real- time and to store footage for playback later. 360-degree views will capture the whole living
MAIN: Keep it simple with a single system.
ABOVE: Smart indoor camera.
LEFT: i-zone’s video doorbell
space where the cameras are mounted. Perfect for checking-in on the babysitter or children do- ing their homework. Adding to the appeal, is the peace of mind that comes with knowing belong- ings in the house are safe from intruders.
One system to do it all is the future for smart homes, and iZone have definitely delivered in this field. Their fully integrated platform pro- vides more robust firmware making their smart home system more secure. It’s a win-win!
Power generated by onsite renewables
LA TROBE UNIVERSITY has added 1500 solar panels to a new car park at Bendigo campus.
There are now 3,300 panels installed, accord- ing to La Trobe vice-chancellor professor John Dewar.
He said that one third of electricity used at the Bendigo campus is now generated by onsite re- newables.
“Not only do students and staff now have a shady place to park their cars during hot days, but with this investment we have significantly reduced the campus’s running costs, and carbon emissions,” Dewar said.
LEFT: Car Park at Bendigo Campus, La Trobe University
“We are getting closer to achieving our goal of net zero carbon emissions on our regional cam- puses by 2022, and across the University by 2029.”
The carports are part of a suite of measures the university has implemented in Bendigo to reach the 2022 goal – including installing thou- sands of high-efficiency LED lights and a large- scale organic waste composter.
The solar panels at La Trobe’s Bendigo campus equate to 1.15 MW, or the equivalent of 230 household systems.
La Trobe students and staff are now using software developed at the University to moni- tor energy production and identify further en- ergy efficiency improvements.
CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS APRIL 2021
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