The “smart home” concept arose in the early 1980’s when “smart building” concepts started to be used. In those years, smart homes were designed only for user convenience. “Smart homes” have smart technologies having remote or centrally controlled functions and services. In a smart home, the inhabitants’ wishes and needs concerning all or some part of equipment and functionality have priority.
In smart house systems, the internet is also used to ensure remote control. For years, the internet has been widely used for the processes such as surfing on the pages, searching information, chatting, downloading and installation. By the rapid developments of new technologies, monitoring, controlling services have been started to be served along with internet as an instrument providing interaction with machinery and devices. In smart house systems, comfort and security of houses have been enhanced, usage of energy and other resources were provided in a more rational way, and considerable savings have been achieved. In the beginning, the “smart home” idea was aimed to raise home comfort of people who are not disabled. Nowadays, it is also convenient to satisfy personal needs of older and disabled people, to help and support those people. This application area is very important and promising in the future. The concept of providing proper and full control on each device and electrical equipment as well as no requirement for processes, which required manual control before, are the reasons for being under concentration.
Smart homes can be dealt with four main aspects:
- The physical structure of the building
- The system (security, air conditioning, power control)
- Services (Internet, communication)
- Management (energy, illumination, irrigation)
The physical structure of the building is important in terms of heating and natural ventilation. This feature is implemented in the project phase of the building. Engineers carry out the calculation of correct use of insulation material and the positioning of the building for energy saving in the beginning phase of the project while drawing the project. The other three basic aspects can be applied on the foundation after the construction of the building and even for pre-made buildings.
In today’s modern era, automation is rapidly advanced while it becomes a part completing our homes and offices. Automation can be generally described as a process following pre-determined sequential steps with a very a little or without any human exertion.
