The 2013 Alberta flood was a catastrophic event, causing more than $5 billion worth of damage to the region; many say that it was the worst flood in Alberta’s history. The incident left countless homes devastated. After one Calgary resident assessed his home’s extreme water damage, he chose to rebuild, turning to local technology integration firm K&M Systems to reconstruct his home automation system around a new ELAN controller.
“When we first installed the A/V system in 2012, prior to the flood, it was a complete retrofit from top to bottom,” Owner of K&M Systems Mike Auld explained. “After the flooding, we were able to open up the walls, so it was almost an easier installation. We needed to install a completely new system, and decided to upgrade the home to an ELAN gMV1616 UltraMatrix Switcher with an ELAN gSC10 system controller.”
Completely rewiring the basement and first floor of the home, Auld built and installed an advanced security system that goes far beyond door and window locks. “Because this home was flooded, we automated the water valves,” Auld explained. “Now, if the water or irrigation alarm goes off, it automatically shuts the water off in the house.”
Auld continued, “I’ve had a few properties now where a pipe has burst, so we integrate a lot of water bugs into our projects. For me, alarms are not just about notifying you that someone broke your window, but also revolve around pipes leaking, smoke detectors, gas leaks and all of that. I’ve had a few properties where we’ve had a water bug triggered, and the valve shut off, therefore saving the home from major damages.”
To further protect the home’s system, Auld installed Panamax MB1500 Uninterruptible Power Supplies into both of the racks, running all of the equipment through them. The full system includes a 47 zone alarm system, 16 zones of audio, 10 zones of video, two forced air zones and six zones of radiant heat, a Central Lite lighting system with more than 80 switches, and 11 zones of irrigation control all integrated through ELAN. Though the system is robust, the ELAN UltraMatrix Switcher simplified the connection between each system, increasing flexibility and shortening the installation process for Auld and his team.
For media and entertainment, K&M Systems decked out a media room with Sunfire CRS3 Cinema Ribbon Trio speakers and Sunfire Subrosa subwoofers surrounding a 65-inch TV for an immersive viewing experience. K&M Systems also installed a 103-inch screen into the movie room, offering a complete oasis to watch TV shows and movies connected through ELAN.
To operate each space, the homeowner can simply use the ELAN remote controls, in-wall touchpanels or the ELAN Mobile App on a smartphone or tablet. “The owner has two sons and a daughter under 12 years old,” Auld explained. “They can all use the technology and the ELAN system quite proficiently without any explanation; they just picked it on their own!”
Furthermore, K&M Systems has outfitted two vacation homes for the family with similar ELAN Entertainment and Control Systems. Through the ELAN Mobile App, the homeowner can check on and monitor each home remotely. Additionally, if the homeowner has guests visiting his other properties, he can unlock the doors through automated door locks with just a push of a button. Taking remote monitoring even further, Auld and his team are currently upgrading keypads and touchpanels in the home to begin installing the new ELAN Intercom.
The family is so impressed with ELAN and K&M Systems’ advanced design and integration, they asked Auld and his team to outfit their fourth home in Canmore, Alberta with a similar system.
To view and download additional photos of this project, click here. All photography is courtesy of K&M Systems.