Smart Home Technician

The growth of home networks connected to the internet and the level of communication between people and devices has created a new technological landscape in which almost every aspect of our homes can become one home technology ecosystem. From our audio, video, home cinema, and security systems to our heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems, and even our window blinds, doors, and gates, our home environments are integrating into single, controllable home experiences.

Today’s Smart Home Technician (SHT) is the professional who installs, configures, and maintains this ecosystem. Their work objective is to deliver a simple, secure, reliable, and sustainable user experience according to industry best practice and within project timelines and scope. The SHT will work on construction sites and in homes with senior colleagues such as a Senior SHT, Smart Home Designer, Networking Specialist, or Home Theatre Designer to create integrated systems using a variety of equipment and services from other suppliers. These projects will vary in size and scale from small homes to luxury mansions, yachts, multi-dwelling developments, and will range from simple component installation to creating a complex, electronic integrated systems environment.

Technical drawings, product specifications, wiring schedules, testing specifications and schematics.
Plans, elevations, cross-sectional drawings, isometrics, landscape drawings and Mechanical & Electrical drawings for other services.
Project plans, works orders, change notes, purchase orders, sign-off sheets and performance / functional specifications.
Construction and electrical health and safety specific to personal safety and accident prevention. Includes Safe Isolation & Accessory Replacement.
Basic electrical theory (Ohms law, power law, series and parallel circuits, Inductance & capacitance), signal types and modulation methods.
Network connected devices (e.g. typical domestic routers, network switches and wireless access points), basic network security and data protection.
Control hardware (e.g. keypads, handsets, apps, control processors & interface standards) and building control systems (e.g. lighting control, HVAC control).
Access control hardware e.g. CCTV cameras and recorders, door intercoms, access control keypads, locks and sensors)
Audio, video and entertainment hardware, interfaces and content sources (e.g. speakers, amplifiers, processors, disc players, terrestrial & satellite broadcast television & radio, streaming devices, video displays, switching and distribution systems).
Terrestrial & satellite broadcast television, analogue and digital radio receivers.
Construction types, fixing methods, cable running, racks, brackets and other mounting hardware.
Communication devices (e.g. telephones, smart phones, tablets, laptops, intercoms etc.)
Environmental and energy management systems (e.g. HVAC, equipment ventilation and temperature / humidity control, smart meters, battery backup and power storage).
Structured wiring and typical connectors used in smart home engineering to PAS 35491 (e.g. RJ series, coax connectors, HDMI and other AV types), wired Ethernet to IEEE 802.3 and wireless networks to IEEE 802.11.
Applicable system specifications, standards, hardware, software, firmware and test equipment.
Construction methods, project stages, MEP (Mechanical Electrical and Plumbing) materials, equipment & tools.
Key job roles and responsibilities of associated trades, suppliers, customers and other officials.

Using documentation keys, scales and revision numbers.
Reading and following installation, architectural and project documentation.
Following electrical and constructional health and safety procedures and policies for human safety and accident prevention.
Safe isolation & accessory replacement.
Connecting and configuring various network connected devices (e.g. typical domestic routers, network switches and wireless access points), securing a network using physical and cryptographic means.
Installing and testing typical control hardware.
Installation and testing of terrestrial & satellite broadcast television, analogue and digital radio receivers.
Placing and mounting typical hardware of all types listed within the individual subject areas of this standard.
Installing, configuring and testing communication devices.
Installing equipment ventilation and battery backup system (UPSs) and interfacing with HVAC and other energy management systems.
Installing and testing structured wiring systems using verification tools to PAS 35491.