Case studies

Crestron Control in Manchester Penthouse (7/7/2010)

By Custom Controls

This project involved a five-bedroom penthouse which occupies the top two storeys of the Beetham Tower in Manchester. At 168.87m, the tower is the tallest in the UK outside London and the tallest residential development in Europe. The penthouse has been finished to the highest specification and has its own swimming pool, sauna and steam room complex, gym, staff quarters and indoor olive grove.

Beetham Tower in Manchester.

The brief

The brief for systems integrator Custom Controls was to provide a intuitive and easy-to-use complete home automation system to integrate the wide range of technology in the apartment including lighting, multiroom AV, HVAC and security.

The solution

Using Crestron technology, Custom Controls designed and installed a solution which completely eliminates the need to walk from room to room to adjust the lighting, temperature, security or audio visual components.

The design has provided music and high-definition video throughout, with the homeowner's entire CD and DVD collection held centrally on a Kaleidescape server. In the snug, a custom home cinema features a 50" Pioneer Kuro plasma and B&W Signature 8NT speakers powered by Classé amplifiers. Control is via a Crestron TPMC-8X Wi-Fi touchpanel, which, at the touch of a button, will automatically prepare for the screening, including dimming or raising the lighting appropriately.

The Snug features a Pioneer 50" plasma mounted within custom-built furniture that also houses the speakers and amplifiers, all controlled by the TPMC-8X Wi-Fi touchpanel.

AV provision in the master bedroom includes B&W speakers in wet and dry areas, including a pair of speakers integrated within the feature bathroom. The 4m diameter bath looks out over the city, and the speakers, incorporated into a feature wall, are designed to fill the space around the bath in with sound.

Control is provided via a Crestron TPS-6L mounted in the bed's headboard and DB12 waterproof keypads in the 'his' and 'hers' bathrooms.

All the main rooms in the penthouse have full Crestron lighting control, enabling access and scene setting from the touchpanels or any of the four Crestron Cameo wall-mounted keypads located throughout the property. With one press of a button, the living room and garden are gently illuminated to show the apartment at its best.

Elsewhere, four compact, wall-mounted Crestron TPS-4L touchpanels, which occupy the space of a standard light switch, offer control of audio, video and lighting, while two TPS-6L touchpanels offer comprehensive control using high-contrast 5.7" colour touchscreens.

The Crestron TPS-6L colour touchpanel, wall-mounted in the kitchen.

Planning

All AV distribution and lighting was planned to be Crestron, so Crestron cables were used.

Since the apartment covers around 12000sqft, it was possible to build a special AV room on the top floor, and design all of the wiring to run back to this.

Integration

A Crestron PRO2 2-Series control system forms the heart of the system, allowing integration of every audio, video, and environmental element within the penthouse. Additionally, a Crestron PAC2M Automation Mini Control System operates as a standalone controller for the lighting and blinds. For audio distribution, a Crestron CNAMPX-16X60 amplifier supports 8 stereo room zones.

The Crestron system integrates seamlessly with a third party building management system, allowing precision control of temperature settings for the underfloor heating and ventilation, in addition to providing environmental control for the indoor olive grove. The same interface also allows for control of the sauna, steam room and swimming pool.

For security, live CCTV images from around the property are relayed to the Crestron touchpanels, to maximise the effectiveness and visibility of the system and to ensure complete peace of mind. The cameras can also be accessed and viewed remotely. As part of the lighting system, Crestron Greenlight lighting control modules provide multiple channels of dimming.

Live CCTV from around the property is accessible by the Crestron touchpanels.

Installation

This was a new build and there was no existing cabling, so everything required was installed by the on-site electricians to our specification and design, over a two year period.

All programming was done in-house over a period of about 6 weeks. The special challenges we faced were in controlling the third-party building management system that controlled all of the heating, ventilation, swimming pool temperature, irrigation for the indoor olive grove, and the relationship between hot water and the solar panels on the roof.

Experience from the project

The project took around two years to complete and cost a total of around GBP150,000 - discounted due to an ongoing relationship with the client.

An installation of this size and complexity, in such an iconic development, certainly posed many challenges, but it has also brought with it many rewards. The project allowed us to demonstrate not only our own integration capabilities but also those of the Crestron system. The result is a technical solution that we are really proud of and one that has delighted the client. It has also won us the coveted title of Best High Rise installation in the 2009 Crestron Integration Awards.

Equipment List

Gym
TPS-4L.

Kitchen
1 x Crestron TPS-6L which controls heating and cooling, lighting, CCTV and AV throughout the home.

Snug
1 x Crestron TPM-8X, Crestron lighting.
2 x Crestron Cameo lighting keypad.
Pioneer 50" Kuro.
Classé amplifier.

Drawing Room
Crestron TPS-4L control for audio sources and lighting.
1 x Crestron Cameo lighting keypad.

Master Bedroom
Crestron TPS-6L (built in to bed head) controlling AV sources, lighting, heating and cooling, CCTV.
1 x Crestron Cameo lighting keypad.

His and hers bathrooms
Crestron DB12 controlling audio sources.

Study
Crestron TPS-4L controlling audio video sources and lighting.

Hub
Crestron PRO2, BIPAD8, AMPX16x60 and C2N-TFM (tuner).
Sky HD.
Kaleidescape DVD server.

Lighting
50 channels of Crestron lighting.
Crestron PAC2M lighting controller.

Custom Controls installs home automation systems featuring home cinemas, multiroom AV and lighting controls from offices in London and Manchester.

www.CustomControls.co.uk