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buildings that use technology many customers are already
familiar with.
" What's really always kind of been the challenge is how do
we bring technology that people are used to using in their
homes and are used to using in their day-to-day lives, outside
of work, [and] how do we bring that into a workspace and
make it very simple to work and make it very simple to operate, "
says John Carroll, CTO of Nard's Inc.
" When you go from one Carr property to another you're using
the same kinds of technology, the same kinds of buttons,
the same kinds of icons, so that everything is a smooth flow
throughout their whole portfolio, " he adds.
One major benefit from this strategy is that each building
can be tailored to the specific needs of the clients in the
building, be they multimillion-dollar businesses or wealthy urbanites.
Carr can then further tailor the feature list to include
as much user-friendly technology as possible, thanks in part to
a partnership with the URC automation platform.
While it may sound like a tall task, Carr has done much to
make sure things are as easy as possible on the integrators,
property managers, and customers involved in the process.
Instead of creating unique plans from scratch for every
floor of a high-rise that may house a different business, the
company developed and uses a template to swap things in as
simply as possible.
" We literally develop a cookie-cutter approach for a conference
room that is a specific size, a lobby for music ... so we
almost have it down to a science with regards to the requirements
that we need, and then we just adapt the technology
that we need for it based on the size [of the room] and if
there are any specific requirements, " says Ilan Zachar, chief
technology officer, Carr Properties.
Choosing the Right Platform
So how do these smart buildings combine all of this technology
without endless truck rolls and service calls? In Carr's case,
Zachar believes the openness and simplicity of the URC Total
Control platform really helps create a unified living and working
environment. Carr also tries to make it so each building
runs on the same type of system and prefers to plan AV systems
from the bottom up, and starting with a URC platform
allows them to pick simple and effective system solutions and
then get into the specific products that each client needs.
" The beauty of the openness of the URC platform is that we
can build on top of it and then adapt scenarios into that room, "
says Zachar. " I'm not restricted or limited with what I want to
do. If I want to use a specific amplifier or a specific module or a
specific video conferencing system it's not a problem because
eventually we can adapt it and we can make it work. "
" URC has been great ... they make their user interface so
easy to use, and their backend software almost keeps you
from overcomplicating [installs], " adds Caroll.
Now that smart buildings have become a hot commodity,
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August 2021 CE Pro | 53
Integrators such as Nard's in Virginia have developed reliable
and user-friendly resimercial solutions with their residential
smart home skillsets. Also, trade partners can assist
on project leads, as Nard's has done with Carr Properties to
create repeat business; Nard's outfitted " The Hub, " one of
Carr's offices, employing URC automation and interfaces.
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