Developer to bring remotely controlled smart-homes to Edinburgh

A DECADE ago, few of us had heard of a smartphone, yet now the gadgets are a part of modern life.

And one developer is hoping to lead a similar revolution in the property sector in the Capital – with the introduction of reasonably-priced smart-homes.

The town houses at the state-of-the-art development in Corstorphine will all come with “smart-wiring” as standard, meaning homeowners will be able to control their homes remotely with an iPad, which comes with the property.

Apps on the tablet device will allow them to control lighting, heating, sound systems and TVs from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Tricia Malek, sales director at Springfield Properties, said the type of technology integrated into the homes had previously only been available to multi-millionaires in luxury mansions.

But with the Corstorphine properties being priced at under £400,000, she said remotely controlled homes were no longer only within the reach of the super-rich – and that she expected the number of smart-homes to rocket in coming decades.

She said: “These are the first of our homes in Edinburgh to have integrated smart-wiring. We felt that the addition of this state-of-the-art technology fitted perfectly with the fresh and modern style of these homes.

“I would rather buy a home that I had complete control over. It seems almost archaic to be constrained by systems that have been in place for years. Things are moving on and people want to live in a smart environment using the gadgets that they already use every day. It makes sense to harness the technology that’s already out there if it’s what people want.

“We have developments all over the place but this is the first one that we’ve started with smart-wiring. But we’ve been listening to our customers. This is a service that from experience at our previous developments, we know is very popular. I definitely think people will start using their buying power and other builders will follow suit.”

The developer has already set up its sales office for the Corstorphine Mews development, which include three or four-bedroom homes that use the innovative IP (internet protocol) based technology.

The homes cost between £389,000 and £399,000 with optional extras such as rooftop solar panels adding to the price. The average price of a home in the Capital is in the region of £230,000.

Building work begins once specifications are agreed with homeowners, and usually takes around six months.

The iPad will allow homeowners to programme temperatures and timings for heating, while the lighting app even offers a holiday simulation mode – meaning the home “remembers” which lights are turned on at specific times of day and mimics the pattern when the house is empty to deter burglars.

Music played from ceiling speakers can be controlled by the device, while it could also change channels on a waterproof TV in the bathroom.

Other high-tech features include a keyless entry system and an alarm that calls the homeowner’s mobile before alerting the emergency services.

The developer said each home will feature more than 1500 square feet of floor space, underfloor heating and a blossom tree in the garden.

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