Welcome! What's On Your Mind?

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AUDIO VIDEO

An AV system in your boardroom will help you command attention during meetings, facilitate training and information exchange, and help you communicate with coworkers and clients throughout the day. But you don’t need a complex system to get started. A projector, screen, and strong business network will help you immediately. You can install a lift to hide your projector in the ceiling when not in use and centralize control in a console that sits on the table.

Essential Technologies:

• Projector
• Motorized Screen
• High-Bandwidth Network

COMFORT

A comfortable environment is a productive environment. And, according to a study published in the Journal of Facilities Management, the comfort conditions workers consider the most important to their productivity are temperature, ventilation, noise, privacy, and daylight. Smart technologies can help manage these. Motorized shades with integrated sensors can lower to regulate temperature, sunlight, and privacy. Smart thermostats can automatically adjust to the right temperature. And sound masking systems can block the noise of coworkers.

Essential Technologies:

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HIDING COMPONENTS

The most prominent components that exist in any living space are your speakers. If you want to hear clear audio, your space will likely feature multiple speakers throughout your rooms and hallways. In some cases, they’re designed to look aesthetically pleasing and can become the cornerstone of your interior design. But while that may be appropriate for one room, it probably won’t do for an entire house.

Instead, recessed speakers exist within walls and can be placed in the ceiling. They're set back, with apertures similar to lighting recesses. When a homeowner walks into a room, these speakers are virtually invisible, and they won't draw the eye.

RUNNING WIRES

You may think that popular wireless technology like Sonos will solve many of the issues regarding loose wires throughout the space. That’s only half true. Wireless systems connect to each other wirelessly but still have to plug into a wall. Additionally, wireless systems are less reliable and can’t offer quite the same level of sound quality as a hardwired system.

An integrator can run wires and other cables throughout the walls in easy-to-access structures. That means your clients will never have to see ugly wiring, while still connecting the entire property to a single whole home audio system.

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WHAT ARE SCENES?

Scenes are a way to perform multiple functions within your lighting system with one button. You can brighten or dim different fixtures, and manage your connected shades, with a single command wherever a Lutron keypad is present. If you have a keypad installed in your home theater, living room, bedrooms, and kitchen, those are the rooms you can include in your scene.

For instance, if you want to prepare for family time in the living room, you can tap a button that shuts down the lights in your bedrooms, kitchen, and home theater. A scene can also adjust the lights in the living room based on zones. So, the lights in front of the TV may dim while the ones behind the couch remain bright, and accent lights under stairs and behind artwork shine. You can work with your integrator to adjust the settings for style and function.

HOW TO SET A FAVORITE SCENE

Your integrator can set a scene anywhere there’s a Lutron keypad present in your home. Once set, you can select which scenes will appear on the home menu of the Lutron app under “Favorite Scenes.”

To set a scene as a favorite, first open the Lutron app. Tap the settings button at the top of the screen. Find and press the “Favorites” button. You’ll then see a menu with all available rooms.

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PREVENTING CRIME

While it’s impossible to know just how many crimes don’t occur because of surveillance systems, studies have shown that properties with visible cameras installed are far less likely to be victimized.

The reason is simple: criminals target the easiest marks. If you have a system that lets them know you’re watching, they won’t want to approach.

But you don’t have to worry about big, ugly cameras cluttering up your exterior walls. Modern cameras are discreet and easy to hide. However, you may benefit from one visible camera or a sign that lets the world know you can see them.

AFTER A CRIME

The bad news is that crime happens. It can happen to anyone, even if they have a surveillance system. The good news is that a quality system can help catch the bad guys and act quickly and efficiently.