Sustainable homes must make the complex simple

The more complex something is the more likely it is to go wrong or not meet expectations. There is a lot of truth in the saying ‘keep it simple, stupid!’, particularly for buildings. But it doesn’t have to be true and I believe that it will become less so over the coming years.

Consider the motor car; it is difficult to argue that modern cars are simple things and yet they are, with some variation between manufacturers, remarkably reliable and simple to use. The reason is that the controls are familiar, broadly intuitive and there is no real need to look under the bonnet at the complexity (literally and figuratively).

Yet with most residential buildings we expect the occupants to be able to maintain systems, diagnose problems and then be willing to pay for a variety of trade professionals to service different parts of the building. As we head towards zero carbon homes, design teams are having to consider more complex solutions which, because they are unfamiliar to builders and users alike, will exacerbate the pressure on the homeowners. The worry is that this disconnect between the sophistication of future homes and the understanding of the homeowner will result not only in missed energy targets but also in health problems due to underperforming ventilation systems. The solution is not to compromise on the ambition but to improve the controls and, more particularly, the interface with the user. 

It is becoming realistic to imagine a world where on leaving the house the heating and maybe all non-essential devices are switched off, alarms are set and the home phone redirected

Residential controls are evolving rapidly on the back of the smart phone revolution and low cost electronics. There are already at least three consumer focused home control systems that operate via the smart phone. These new systems hide the complexity behind familiar, attractive and user friendly dashboards. Features such as time scheduling, temperatures and energy billing can be adjusted and interrogated via the phone. Some systems feature automatic operation based upon the location of the smart phone ensuring that when a property is empty the heating is turned off.

This is surely the start of what will be a rapid development of apps designed to make our world simpler and more convenient. It is becoming realistic to imagine a world where on leaving the house the heating and maybe all non-essential devices are switched off, alarms are set and the home phone redirected. Arriving at the train station, your car parking is automatically paid and you walk straight through onto the platform, with payment happening automatically based on time of day and distance travelled. Your phone might advise you which form of transport would be quickest. Arriving at work the security systems let you through without hindrance, lift doors open automatically and the lift speeds you to your floor without the need to push a single button. No need to worry about a late meeting as your parking will extend automatically and your train ticket will bill you according to the train you catch.

The home control systems of the near future will make the complex simple. They will help us maintain and operate systems other than heating systems, our domestic mechanical ventilation systems providing advice on how and when to change filters for example.

We shouldn’t be afraid of complexity as many parts of our world are complex. The challenge is to simplify the presentation of information, to automate the complex and to make life a little easier.

Nick Cullen is a partner at Hoare Lea