SMART HOME INFRASTRUCTURE

RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES

A guide to Smart Home infrastructure

requirements for the modern home
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Who is CEDIA 1

01 CEDIA.org 2

02 Introduction 3

03 Choosing your Services 4

04 Planning your Home 5

05 Incoming Services 6

06 Infrastructure for Incoming Services 8

07 Distributing Additional Services 9

08 CEDIA Verification 10

09 What to do next 11

10 Notes 12
Raising standards and awareness of
the Home Technology market

WHO IS CEDIA?

CEDIA is the international trade organisation Homeowners, builders, architects, and interior
representing the home technology industry. designers are increasingly recognising CEDIA
members as the professional resource for home
CEDIA members specialise in the planning, design, technology. CEDIA is governed by its members,
supply, and installation of technology for the modern, many of whom volunteer generously to ensure
intelligent home. The Association was founded in their peers have the finest education and industry
1989 and has more than 3,700 member companies support possible.
worldwide.

CEDIA was created to develop and deliver educational

programmes, certification, and trade shows to make
sure that the industry is kept up-to-date with skills
and technology relevant to this specialist market. Core
to CEDIA is also raising the awareness and profile of
the industry and the Association’s members to a wide
variety of audiences.

© 2017 CEDIA 1
01 CEDIA.ORG

TO FIND YOUR NEAREST CEDIA INTEGRATOR VISIT WWW.CEDIA.ORG

DISCLAIMER

The information provided in this literature is for general guidance only. CEDIA accepts no liability for loss
or damage howsoever arising from any installation of smart wiring technology. CEDIA recommends that all
installations are planned, managed, and implemented by a CEDIA approved integrator and that all installations
are verified with a CEDIA test certificate.

2 © 2017 CEDIA
 02 INTRODUCTION

AIM BENEFITS OF CORRECT CABLING

The aim of these CEDIA Smart Home Infrastructure The benefits of installing a good infrastructure at a
Recommended Guidelines is to provide homeowners, build or refurbishment stage are multifold and include:
design and build professionals, and developers
with guidance for the installation of the cabling • Having the ability to discreetly integrate and
infrastructure that is important to support today’s distribute Internet, Entertainment (TV, satellite and
digital and connected lifestyles. music), Computer, and Communication systems
around the home without having to trail any
CEDIA would always recommend that you talk to a additional wires.
CEDIA specialist as soon as possible in your project
(www.cedia.org). The most expensive cable that can • Enabling the home for future Digital Healthcare
be installed is the one that did not get installed in the applications.
first place. Mistakes can be costly so it is vital to get
the cabling infrastructure correct the first time round. • Adding value to the home by ensuring that future
buyers’ home technology needs are met.

• Preserving the décor and structure of the home by

planning for future needs (retro-fitting cables can be
disruptive and costly).

• Providing the correct wired infrastructure to enable

a robust wireless network.

• The ability to enjoy multi-room media systems

throughout the home.

YOUR PROJECT

A typical project cycle will contain the following steps, and it’s essential to have a CEDIA certified professional
involved all the way through:
Stage 4
Stage 2

Stage 3
Stage 1

Define your Planning your Testing,

Installation &
documentation,
services home commissioning
& certification

First consultation with Plans, drawings, & Working with a CEDIA A CEDIA professional
a CEDIA professional proposals from your professional to ensure will certify the
CEDIA professional all cables are correctly installation to the BSI
installed Code of Practice: PAS
35491

It’s important that you think about which services you wish to have in your home before the design and
installation stage. This will help you and your CEDIA professional work out if what you want is achievable.

© 2017 CEDIA 3
03 CHOOSING YOUR SERVICES

CHOOSING THE SERVICES FOR YOUR

HOME

Any installation will require you to make decisions and

choose which services you want to have available in
each room of your home. Each of these services will
require a minimum amount of cabling to ensure it
works with today’s technology and future technology.

CEDIA recommends that any new build, conversion, or

renovation includes infrastructure for satellite/cable/
digital TV and Radio, alongside a home network for
telecomms, broadband, and Wi-Fi. Identifying your
desired services before embarking on your project
will allow you a full appreciation of the required
infrastructure, and your CEDIA professional will help
create an ecosystem that best works for your home.

SERVICE DESCRIPTION DESCRIPTION

SATELLITE, RADIO, DIGITAL, AND Cabling for multi-room television and radio, including satellite/freeview/cable.
CABLE TV

HOME NETWORK - TELEPHONE, Cabling for a wired home network, including telephone and data points, and a
BROADBAND, AND WIRELESS robust wireless network.
INTERNET

MULTI-ROOM AUDIO Cabling for speakers (such as in-ceiling) and audio control points from an AVHE
(Audio Video Head End) location.

SCENE SETTING, LIGHTING, AND Cabling for a lighting control system and automated blinds, cabling, and
BLIND CONTROL systems can vary.

HEATING AND COOLING Bespoke cabling to allow control of heating, thermostats, air conditioning, etc.

CCTV AND SECURITY Bespoke cabling for CCTV and security coverage of the home, usually following a
security risk assessment and design.

HOME CINEMA Bespoke cabling for the required level of home cinema design.

4 © 2017 CEDIA
04 PLANNING YOUR HOME

PLANNING YOUR HOME THINK ABOUT THE END GAME

Any system will require planning before an Help plan your services by thinking about the end
installation ever begins. Whilst design changes goal of the property room by room:
can happen on-site during a project, these should
always be based on an initial design. Multiple • Where would you like a television?
changes on-site due to lack of planning only serve • In which rooms do you listen to music?
to slow the installation process and add cost to the
• Do you plan to have a landline phone, and if so,
project. With only basic floor plans, it is possible to
where will it live?
plan which services you need prior to the design or
installation stage. • How do you want to interact with your technology
(voice, remote controls, mobile/tablet devices, wall
controls...)?
• Where do you want cameras or other connected
security?

Thinking about how you want to use your home will

help to guide a CEDIA Professional in creating the
best proposal for you.

SAMPLE HOUSE PLAN

The example below shows communications, entertainment, and multi-room audio locations.

music music PC phone

KITCHEN BATHROOM STUDY

DINING
TV
music
CORRIDOR

LIVING ROOM TV
HALL
music
MASTER BED GARAGE
phone
music Projector
+ Screen
CCTV
TV CCTV

© 2017 CEDIA 5
05 INCOMING SERVICES

An important area that SATELLITE DISH, TV (FM AND DAB) AERIAL

can be overlooked in a
project life cycle are the Typically installed at roof level and so it is recommended that a specialist
incoming services to the TV aerial installer is contacted to install equipment at high levels. A bad dish
home. It’s important to or aerial installation will result in poor signal distribution around the home.
ensure that the correct Coaxial cables (and earth) should be run from the dish and aerial location to
cable connections are the Smart Home Head End.
in place for incoming
services to be connected CABLE TV SERVICES
and distributed around
the home. Different Cable TV services require a connection that typically enters the home from
incoming services enter street level and can provide cable TV services, phone, and broadband. Coaxial
the property from cable provision should be run from the entry location to the Smart Home
different locations, Head End.
but all should end in a
common location within TELEPHONE AND BROADBAND
the property called the
Smart Home Head End. The telephone line can enter the home from high level or may enter from
street level. A connection should be run in provision from this location to the
Each incoming Smart Home Head End.
service will have to
be commissioned by
a service provider or
specialist installer to be
made live. It’s advised
to contact a service
provider or arrange for
any TV and Satellite
dish installation early
on into the project life
cycle so any work can
be scheduled, and cable
entry points can be
identified to connect to
the incoming services

12

11

10

8
12
7
11
6
10
5
9
4
8
3 12
7
2 11
6
1 10
5
9
4
8
3 12
7
2 11
6
1 10
5
9
4
8
3 12
7
2 11
6
1 10
5
9
4
8
3 12
7
2 11
6
1 10
5
9
4
8
3
7
2
6
1
5

6 © 2017 CEDIA
Consider that you will need space for any equipment
that will be centrally stored (Satellite/cable boxes,
amplifiers, distribution matrices, control servers, etc)
and for the cabling infrastructure to run from this
location.

A dedicated cupboard space that meets all the

requirements of a connected home hub (sometimes
called “the rack”) is often the best solution. You need
to consider the follwing when thinking about the
location of your connected home hub:

- Good ventilation/heat management

- Noise
- Space
- Access for servicing
- Access to mains power

All of these will make the location of your home

hub a key decision in your project, and a CEDIA
professional can help you to identify the best
location.

© 2017 CEDIA 7
06 INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INCOMING
SERVICES

GRADE 1 SERVICES DESCRIPTION CABLE TYPES USED

To provide cabling to enable one The Grade 1 cables must all start
SAT SAT2

or more of the following services. from a single location, known as Category rated data cable
TV FM

the Smart Home Head End.

Satellite, radio, digital,

The Smart Home Head End
and cable TV
should have all incoming services SAT SAT2

routed to it, to include cable TV, Appropriate high quality

SAT SAT2

Home network -
TV FM

telephony, internet, digital TV, coaxical cable

TV FM

telephone, broadband,
and wireless internet digital radio, and satellite TV.

All cables listed are to meet

a minimum performance SAT SAT2

specification for the application. TV FM

Higher performance cables

may be used.

12

11

10

8
12
7
11
6
10
5
9
4
8
3 12
7
2 11
6
1 10
5
9
4
8
3 12
7
2 11
6
1 10
5
9
4
8
3 12
7
2 11
6
1 10
5
9
4
8
3 12
7
2 11
6
1 10
5
9
4
8
3
7
2
6
1
5

8 © 2017 CEDIA
07 DISTRIBUTING ADDITIONAL SERVICES

A bespoke system may encompass cables to provide all the services listed at the beginning of this document.
This functionality could include multi-room audio, lighting control systems, motorised curtains and blinds,
access control systems, CCTV networks, environmental and heating control, as well as systems that allow all
of the above to be controlled and integrated by a single control system using in-wall controls and handheld
remote controls. Due to the bespoke nature of some of these systems, generic recommendations cannot be
made, so it is essential to discuss your requirements for these advanced systems with a CEDIA member.

Below is an example of cabling for

a multi-room audio system.

12

11

10

12

11

12

11

12

12
7

12
7
11
6
1 10
5
9
4
8
3
7
2
6
1
5

© 2017 CEDIA 9
08 CEDIA VERIFICATION

HOW DOES IT WORK? CERTIFICATE NUMBER

A qualified CEDIA Structured Cabling Assessor*

(CSCA) will verify or certify all of the cabling
at the time of installation. This type of extra low SMART HOME
voltage wiring is not covered under BS7671 CABLING CERTIFICATE
regulations and therefore does not need to be signed Address:

off under the usual electrical certificate that

is issued for a home.
This certificate validates that on the day of issue the
property described above meets CEDIA’s required
standard for smart wiring technology and that:-
The assessor will test all cabling, check the
documentation is correct, and when complete, issue 1) The cabling, which has been tested as continuous, is functional and safe to use
2) The installation has been carried out using components which are suitable & compatible with

a CEDIA certificate of conformity for the home. This Extra Low Voltage wiring technology
3) There is a design, or appropriate documentation, showing the layout and routing of the wiring

guarantees that the wiring is correct, ready to use,

and other components used in the installation
4) The minimum number of cables, outlets and functional terminals are installed to warrant our
certificate

and safe when you move in. All you have to do is start 5) The system is either Grade 1 or Grade 2 in terms of design and installation complexity
It does not offer:

plugging in equipment. 1) Any guarantee that the system and installation will remain compatible with, or suitable for, any
particular type of technology
2) Capability for alteration, addition or variation
3) Compliance with any future standard or requirements

All CSCA individuals will be CEDIA ESC-T certified and 4) Any warranty by CEDIA as to performance or adaptability

will be carrying a photo ID card. Assessor Name Company Name

Grade Date of Assessment

[email protected] +44 (0)1480 213744

www.cedi a.org

CEDIA members work to the BSI code of practice PAS

35491:2017 which was produced in partnership with
CEDIA to provide a guideline document for connected
home infrastructure. This is the document to which a
CSCA will certify your project. More information can
be found at shop.bsigroup.com

* Refresher courses are conducted periodically to ensure that all

CSCA individuals maintain structured cabling best practices

10 © 2017 CEDIA
09 WHAT TO DO NEXT

WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?

Here are some next steps that should

be followed once you have read this
document and decided that smart
home infrastructure is for you:

1. Mark up your floor plans to show

your technology needs (example on
page 7)

2. Visit CEDIA.ORG and find a CEDIA

professional to suit your project.

3. Complete the fold-out consultation

checklist at the end of this document.

4. Contact your chosen CEDIA

professional and set up a
consultation to begin your journey
towards a smart home.

© 2017 CEDIA 11
10 NOTES

12 © 2017 CEDIA
CONSULTATION CHECKLIST

Task Task Completed

Identify the services you want to include

Identify a CEDIA member with whom to book a consultation

Complete the floor plans with your particular needs

Create a room by room list of services

Ensure that your CEDIA member has certified staff and is

CEDIA Structured Cabling Assessor (CSCA) trained in order to
certify your project

List any special requirements or existing systems that will need

to be included in the project

List any other questions for your CEDIA professional

 Version 4.0, December 2017

Unit 2, Phoenix Park, St Neots,

Cambridgeshire, PE19 8EP, United Kingdom

+44 (0)1480 213 744

[email protected]
www.cedia.co.uk