DIY Network

Wired for the Future From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-213

In the third segment host Jeff Wilson takes a look behind the walls of the home of the future -- the wiring. You'll learn how to anticipate your future needs to determine which cables to include in your structured wire bundle. In the 21st century it's about the computer and electronics. Now you can bring your home wiring into the computer age.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

The home of the future will not be about the architecture, what's in front the wall or even what's on the walls, but what is behind the walls. The home of the future will be about the wiring.

What Is Structured Wiring?

To truly enable your home for the future, you'll need to allow the high-speed information to gain access to your home. Bundling together and installing the cables that connect your to modern and futuristic conveniences is called structured wiring (figure A).

The trend today is to wire the entire house in such a way that it's working for you today and tomorrow -- and into the future. There are different bundles of wire that are referred to as structured wiring, which can connect computer networks, home-automation panels, telephones, televisions, etc.

Structural wiring should never be overlooked at this point in time. Back 10 years ago it was an option, but now it's a need that every new homeowner should consider. Anticipating your future needs will determine which cables to include in your structured wire bundle. There are a few standards, however.

• Structured wiring usually includes category five wiring, which is normally used for computers and the associated devices for computers.

• Structured wiring often includes co-axial wiring (figure B) as well, which is used to connect audio and video devices in individual rooms.

These are bundled into packs of four and six so that each outlet you put has four cables or six cables in it for the future -- but it's just a new way of doing it rather than pulling six different wires. It's really no worse than wiring a house for electricity. It's simply adding more work and wires to the task.

DIY Constructive Advice: One of the best things to keep in mind if you do decide to structure wire your home is to have a conduit -- a centralized conduit (figure C) that feeds all the wires. The reason for doing this is because as the wires get outdated, you want a centralized location where you can actually change the wires and improve them without going through each room and tearing out all the walls. Not only will you be able to connect your components to each other, but you'll be able to access your network remotely.

	Figure D
	Figure E

Lighting Electronics

In the 21st century it's all about electronic wizardry, and this fact extends to the lighting in your new home. There's no reason why you can't have motion detectors in every room to turn on lights, and these can be linked up to a computer being linked up to a one-source panel (figure D) in the house.

Once it's on the computer there's just one step further for controlling it from a distant location. So if you forgot to turn on the lights you'll have the option of doing so from your laptop, office or even your car.

Your home network system will also interface with your appliances, such as the stove, oven or security system. The appliances will be accessed and controlled through the Internet (figure E). The appliances have to be Web-enabled, however. This system is so sophisticated that you can turn an appliance on from work -- just another capability enabled by the kind of electronic gadgetry available today!

The home of the future equals gadgets -- cool gadgets that are fully integrated throughout you home.

For more information on structured wiring, click here for DIY's Home Tech workshop (HTC-104) content.

And for more information on lighting your new home, click here for DIY's Home IQ (DHIQ-111) content.

In the final segment of the 200 series Jeff takes a look at home-theater systems.

GUESTS :

Benjamin Clavan
Architect, AIA
E-mail: benjamic@earthink.net

Greg Allen
Site Supervisor
Hendolhurst Homes
955 Markman Park Rd.
Baden, PA 15005
Phone: 724-935-5658
Fax: 724-935-0884
E-mail: gcrbs@adelphia.net

John Holton
Senior Architect
Ibacos
Website: www.ibacos.com

Kirk Vigil
Regional Sales Mgr.
Wirsbo Co.
5925 148th St. W.
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Toll-free: 800-321-4739
Phone: 952-891-2000
Fax: 952-891-2008
Website: www.wirsbo.com

Duncan Prahl
R.A., Senior Building Scientist
IBACOS Website: www.ibacos.com

Bob Balzar
Director
Nevada Power Co.
6226 W. Sahara
E-mail: bbalzar@nevp.com

Gale Tedhams
Insulation Products Manager
Owens Corning
3000 Hasty Rd.
Toledo, OH 43615
Phone: 419-248-8978
E-mail: gale.tedhams@owenscorning.com

Al Sain
Homeowner
7117 Fairway Dr.
Butler, PA 16001
Phone: 724-865-3056
E-mail: alsain@zbzoom.net

Regina Zernay
CMTS, Inc.
Phone: 310-390-9558

John Gilmore
President
Elite Custom Audio and Video
5505 Moreno St.
#104
Montclair, CA 91763
Phone: 909-931-2835
E-mail: john@elitecustomaudiovideo.com
Website: www.elitecustomaudiovideo.com

Mills Pierre
Urban Planner
E-mail: mills@millspierre.com

Steve Soberoff
5510 Lincoln Blvd, Suite 100
Buena Vista, CA 90094
Phone: 310-448-4601
E-mail: Ssoboroff@playavista.com

Jerry Axelrod
1306 Kingsdale Ave.
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Phone: 310-370-8575
E-mail: sdgav@aol.com