When we talk about smart home systems, screens, apps, and scenes are usually the first things that come to mind; but the key decision that determines whether these systems will truly operate seamlessly is made before the walls are even built—and even before the rough construction is complete. At İmerek Yapı, we treat the smart home infrastructure in our villa projects not as an “add-on,” but as an integral part of the architectural design. This is because the wiring for bus-based automation systems, such as KNX, is not a detail that can be added after the walls are closed; it is a structural decision that must be planned at the right time. In this article, we discuss at what stage of the construction process and how the smart home infrastructure should be planned, using technical yet understandable language.
The Infrastructure Decision Is Made During the Rough Construction Phase
A villa’s electrical and automation infrastructure takes shape during the rough-in phase, before the walls are plastered. In-wall cable channels, ceiling-to-ceiling runs, panel locations, and underfloor conduit runs are all determined during this period. If only standard electrical wiring is installed at this stage without considering a smart home system, adding automation later almost always requires additional site surveys, additional conduit installation, and, in some cases, surface-mounted cable channels. In our approach, immediately after the architectural design is approved and the structural and mechanical designs are finalized—and before any plastering or finishing work begins—the electrical and automation infrastructure plans are evaluated together. This ensures that it is determined—before the rough construction is complete—which rooms’ lighting, window treatments, climate control, or security systems will be included in the automation.
The KNX Bus System Should Be Considered Separately from Conventional Electrical Wiring
In traditional electrical wiring, each switch is directly wired to the load it controls; this is a simple approach, but one with limited flexibility. In bus-based systems such as KNX, however, a separate data line (bus cable) is installed between switches, sensors, and actuators; power lines and control lines are kept separate. This means that two different wiring logics must be planned simultaneously and in a coordinated manner: classic power lines on one side, and a low-voltage bus line on the other. Running the bus cable in the same conduit as power cables without maintaining the required separation distance can lead to problems such as interference, signal loss, or difficulties in troubleshooting in the future. Therefore, the bus line’s route, panel connection points, and the bus addressing logic for devices must be designed in conjunction with the electrical project during the rough-in phase; it should not be a detail for which a solution is sought later by asking, “Where should we run it?”.
The Difference Between Project-Based Planning and Retrofitting
Although it is technically possible to add a smart home system to a villa after it has been delivered or after the finishing work is complete, this imposes significant practical limitations. Wireless solutions may be viable in some scenarios, but they do not always fully match the reliability and scalability of wired bus systems. In an infrastructure planned as part of the project, the number of switch points, curtain motors, heating/cooling control points, and security sensors for each room is determined in advance; pipe diameters and cable channels are installed accordingly, leaving extra empty pipe space for future additions if necessary. This results in a flexible infrastructure that meets both today’s needs and the villa’s potential changes in usage patterns over the years. Since we carry out the rough construction using our own team and formwork system—without subcontractors—we are able to oversee this coordination under a single chain of command from the very start of the project.
If you’d like to plan your smart home infrastructure correctly from the very beginning for a new villa project, or learn how to proceed during the electrical wiring phase of an existing project, please contact us. For any questions, please contact us at +90 545 732 64 44 or via email at [email protected].
