The VELUX Group, a leading roof window manufacturer, has released the world’s first plug-and-play system for smart sensor-based operation of roof windows, blinds and shutters for smart homes worldwide. It’s compatible with Apple HomeKit, and the idea was introduced first time in 2017 IFA Berlin.
VELUX ACTIVE with Netatmo – an integrated system in one kit – addresses increasing global demand for smarter, healthier homes. With this new product, VELUX enters the fast-growing smart home market with a solution going beyond simple convenience to create healthier indoor living conditions in homes around the world.
Built on the newest smart sensor technology of Netatmo, the VELUX ACTIVE smart-home system integrates the newest smart sensor technology and thus monitors the temperature, humidity and CO2 concentration inside the home, and activates the system to automatically control the roof windows.
It is the first smart home system launched within the global window business that combines a smartphone app, an indoor climate sensor, a departure switch and an internet gateway run by advanced algorithms controlling the fully-automated operation of both roof windows, blinds and shutters to improve indoor climate and prevent overheating. For customers using iOS devices, the system also works directly with Apple Home app, enabling homeowners for the first time ever to operate their roof windows, blinds and shutters using voice-control assistant Siri.
“We are extremely excited to see how consumers will respond to our smart-home innovation, making homes more comfortable and healthier by enabling homeowners across the world to improve their indoor climate in an easy way,” said Peter Bang, CFO, The VELUX Group.
Sensors placed in the room register when it is either too hot or too humid, or when the indoor CO2 is too dense, and sends this information to the gateway in order to rectify the situation. The indoor data is then processed along with weather data in the gateway, using advanced algorithms to calculate if the indoor climate can be improved by opening the roof window or rolling down blinds or shutters to prevent overheating.
With this new system, VELUX has moved the roof window from being a stationary product to an interactive, intelligent unit with the potential to constantly evolve through developing further algorithms to control the system.
“This is the first version of our smart home system, which we will continue to develop based on feedback from users. By virtue of its digital nature, we’re able to constantly improve it, which means users as an add-on automatically receive the newest upgrades and added functions, as we advance the software,” continued Bang.
Healthier indoor climate drives consumers
The rising number of unhealthy homes is a strong driver behind The VELUX Group’s strategic move into the smart home marketplace.
According to Healthy Homes Barometer 2017, with one out of six Europeans living in unhealthy buildings, characterized by damp, lack of daylight, inadequate heating during the winter or overheating during the summer, there is a huge potential for renovating the existing building stock.
By offering an intuitive solution to improve the indoor comfort of millions of people’s homes, VELUX is expecting the business for years to come with a truly innovative product, making homes healthier.