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Residential automation technology has traditionally been considered overly complex and expensive. Luckily things have changed dramatically, and today more and more Kiwis are enjoying the many benefits of incorporating smart solutions into our homes. Legrand’s Excel Life Smart is a collection of smart wiring devices that combine local design and engineering with world-class smart home technology by Netatmo. This collection of switches and power points integrate with existing Excel Life installations and have the added convenience of full home control using a wall switch, smart phone or voice via a digital assistant. This means you can enjoy enhanced lifestyle, security and greater energy efficiency without the need to replace existing lighting or appliances.
Legrand New Zealand’s National Trade Sales Manager, Scott Boyd explains, “Smart Technology has never been more affordable, with Legrand’s Excel Life Smart range you can have Smart Home for the cost of a Smart Phone* so there’s no reason why every home can’t be a smart home. It adds so much convenience to your life; with Excel Life Smart you can even control non-smart appliances such as lamps, kettles and irons without having to replace anything.”
ENHANCE YOUR LIFESTYLE Imagine having your lights and heating turning on just before you arrive home, or waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Or perhaps picture yourself hitting play on a movie and instantly your doors lock, blinds lower and lights dim!
Create personalised scenarios tailored to your personal lifestyle; ‘chilled Saturday night’, ‘Pool party with friends’ or ‘arriving home from work’ and with one tap on your phone from anywhere in the world a chain of commands is actioned to create the exact ambiance and setting you require.
Anything you want, exactly when and how you want it.
Homeowner and Director of Devonport Electrical, Paul Sievers recently undertook an impressive renovation of his stunning 1950’s Devonport bungalow. He explains why Legrand’s Excel Life Smart was the perfect solution for the home and lifestyle he wanted to create, “I did a lot of research and Legrand’s Excel Life Smart gave me the ability to pretty much control anything in my home. I liked that I could program it myself - I've really enjoyed setting little scenarios up and having a play around with it. With Excel Life Smart, if I’m coming home late at night, I can turn my driveway lights on. I don't have to get up from the couch to dim my lights down. I can control my water feature in the pool, turn on and off my heater, open my louvers and I can turn on my fireplace - all from my phone!”
Paul adds, “It was also really cost effective, when I did the overall sums on the house. It wasn't actually a huge added expense and I like it that you can add bits on as you go. We started off just with the basic kit, and then we've slowly added on and I know I can accommodate any other needs I may have in the future.”
SAVE MONEY, AND THE PLANET The energy we use in our homes is a key contributor to our greenhouse gas emissions. As we become increasingly aware of our environmental footprint, we’re moving toward building high performing, healthy and energy efficient houses. Excel Life Smart will empower you with better insights into your energy consumption allowing you to manage and monitor you use throughout the day.
Forgetting to turn off lighting, heating and appliances can be damaging to your wallet too. Scott Boyd comments, “Lighting makes up on average 22% of your power bill, so having the ability to easily turn lights off when they’re not needed is key to reducing your energy consumption and being more energy-efficient. Excel Life Smart allows you to do this with one command from your phone, wherever you are – in your home, or remotely.
With Excel Life Smart you can also set a scenario to switch your entire home off with one command using voice, touch or the app on your phone. This means that every non-essential appliance such as TVs, stereos and kitchen appliances, as well as all your lighting can be turned off easily, resulting in dramatically reduced energy costs when you’re not at home.
IT’S A SMART INVESTMENT Making your home smarter is a smart move for your financial future too. Today’s buyers are increasingly attracted to homes with smart home functionality. Adding Excel life Smart to your home will help set it apart, as potential buyers become inspired by the added convenience, enhanced lifestyle and reduced energy costs they will enjoy. To really set your home apart though, buyers expect to do more than just turn things on and off remotely – adding features such as energy efficiency, audio-visual functionality and security surveillance will make your home more attractive to increasingly active millennial home buyers.
EASE OF INSTALLATON Easy to install by a Registered Electrician, the Excel Life Smart range of devices are based on standard 240V wiring and feature integrated smart technology. With Excel Life Smart, there's no need to change or upgrade any existing lights or appliances.
As a Registered Electrician himself, Paul Sievers confirms Excel Life Smart’s simplicity, commenting, “I know this new technology can sometimes be a bit daunting for electricians, but you just install Legrand’s gateway and follow the prompts. I especially like the fact that it has remote switches, so if you don't want to run that extra feed out to your garage or an extra two way out to the garage, just put a smart switch on and it's done.
It's also really simple and easy to use, and our clients have no problem with programming it. But if you have got questions, I’ve been impressed with the level of service – with Legrand, you’ve always got technical back-up.”
Paul adds, “I've been waiting for something like the Excel Life Smart range for a long time, as a business owner it's good to move with the times and this is the way forward, we've been putting in these old power points and switches for a long time now, so it's time to offer our clients something new and innovative.”
FROM SMART TO INTUITIVE And, what does the future hold for smart home technology? Paul Barron, Legrand’s Research and Development Director says, “Globally, we’re seeing the rapid evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create fully intelligent buildings and homes. We’re going from being able to automate and program our home, to homes and buildings being truly ‘aware’. Turning a smart home, into an intuitive home.
Your home will become like your personal butler; it will know exactly what you want, and when you want it. It’ll know which family member has walked into a room, how they like the blinds pulled, what music they want to listen to and how warm or cool they prefer the temperature. This level of innovation will revolutionize the smart home space.”
Looking to the future, one thing is for sure: Legrand will continue to be at the forefront of global innovation and technological advancements, bringing the latest in smart solutions to the New Zealand market, and into Kiwi homes. Watch the video to discover more about Excel Life Smart, and talk to your local Electrician about making your home a smart home with Legrand.
* Based on installed cost of Legrand’s Excel Life Smart Starter Kit.
