GRIFFITHS OF PORTUGAL LAUNCH INTELLIGENT HOMES AT PORTO DE MÓS
Integrated high-technology in the home, which until quite recently was little more than gimmicky and good fun, has become rather more serious in terms of saving energy, increasing security and adding value to property.
To meet the demand for information technology around the home, all Griffiths of Portugal villas at Porto de Mós in Lagos now comprise of an integrated well-planned intelligent home system. All electrical outputs via circuits that take care of lighting, heating, cooling and security functions in the home can be controlled by a central in-house switchboard or remotely by telephone or though the internet.
This provides a very practical option giving extra comfort, convenience and peace of mind to home living, with obvious benefits, particularly for owners who are often away, the elderly or those with limited mobility. The new technology allows people to live more freely and independently than has, in the past, been possible.
Sensors are keys to monitoring and optimizing the home environment. They can, for example, be set to activate lighting at low level and steadily increase the brightness as the sun goes down. If nature calls in the middle of the night there is no need to fumble for a switch: the sensor can light your way until you get back into bed.
Heating and air-conditioning, like lighting, can be precisely programmed to maintain optimum conditions where and when required, systematically avoiding energy wastage. This can result in very significant savings. A boon for holiday home-owners is the ability to regulate temperatures by phone or computer from thousands of miles away.
When it comes to watering the lawn, the gardener doesn’t have to do anything. Metrological sensors measure the humidity and tell the automatic irrigation system what – or what not – to do.
The intelligent home systems are also incorporated to guard against intruders. These include pre installation for CCTV cameras, movement detectors and the instant floodlighting of the entire property at the press of a button. Just as phones and computers can be used remote controls to send commands, they can also receive urgent information or alerts. Such effective security measures alone are bound to increase a property’s value and appeal to purchasers.
The intelligent home’s proactive role in saving energy and increasing security far outweighs the undoubted sense of well-being engendered when the home entertainment unit switches on, the curtains close, the lights dim and the film begins, all in one seamless, sequence.
Safety is another factor and may be of particular benefit if guests or holiday tenants occupy the house. Sensors can, for example, detect flooding in the bathroom if a tap has been left on, or if there’s a gas leakage in the kitchen, which could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Not only can they detect, they can save the situation by switching off the supply at source.
All villas are also pre-installed with complete ambient sound and two home cinema systems, one fully for this purpose and the other incorporated into the living room.
Apartments at Porto de Mós can also be installed with a wireless version of all of the above at an extra cost.
For further information please contact Griffiths of Portugal on 0800 001 5349 or visit
www.johndgriffiths.com or email info@johndgriffiths.com