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Scotland’s Experts in Smart Home Design and Integration

We enhance people's lives by making buildings perform better

Beyond voice control and smart home apps

At Function Control we guarantee you a robust and reliable home control system that is versatile enough to last a lifetime. Of course you can have voice control and a single app to interact with your entire home, but the benefits run deeper with a system designed and integrated by us.

Increase property value

Add features that push your property beyond the norm. From lighting mood scenes to automated functions to simplify a myriad of actions.

Simplicity and Style

Consider the aesthetic with our range of design-led switches that can blend-in or make a statement.

Greater Comfort

A building that will respond to give you the ideal temperature, ventilation and light levels for your needs.

Energy efficiency

Accurate heating, cooling and ventilation. Smart energy management and solar gain reduction.

Future ready and versatile

It’s easy to adapt and expand a Function Control designed system. A control system that evolves and does not go out of date.

Smart Home Family

Your Journey

Let us guide and support you on your project journey. These stages represent the touchstones in the progress of every FC project.

DISCOVERY

A time for us to listen.

DESIGN

Adding granular detail to the design concepts.

MOBILISATION

The construction process begins.

COMMISSIONING

The touches that make sure your smart home looks great and performs perfectly.

COMPLETION

Get to know your home with a walk-through handover and full support pack.

Scottish Landscape Sea Loch

What we do

We provide a variety of services over the course of a project including:

System Design

From lighting controls to building management systems. We will work with you and your architect to design a perfectly tailored and versatile control solution.

Lighting Design

Spectacular light fittings and custom lighting solutions. We can ensure that dimming performance, light output and colour rendering are suited perfectly to the application.

Music and AV

Immersive music throughout the house, TV that works with just a single remote, dedicated home cinemas and media rooms. With our audio and AV backgrounds we can cover it all.

Networking and WiFi

Guarantee a reliable WiFi signal in all parts of the house (and garden if you want) plus wired network infrastructure built for easy maintenance and adaptation.

Supply and Configure

We will source, assemble and program your smart home hardware in the calm of the FC offices ready for delivery to site.

Project Management

No other party is better able to oversee the electro-technical aspects of the project than us. We support the installing contractors with detailed documentation and technical support.

Maintenance Subscriptions

Our maintenance subscriptions offer scheduled annual servicing to keep your systems healthy, with the added benefit of preferential rates for call-outs and and system modifications.

Smart Home Design

Projects

We put our heart and soul into making every project we undertake the best it can possibly be.

KNX Luxury Self Build Smart Home
View Project
Edinburgh Townhouse Renovation
View Project
Energy Efficient Home, Cairngorms National Park
View Project
Luxury Apartment, Edinburgh
View Project
Georgian House Renovation, Scottish Borders
View Project
Morningside House, Edinburgh
View Project
Mews Cottage, Edinburgh
View Project
Private Swimming Pool, Edinburgh
View Project
7-Bed Home, North Berwick, Forth Estuary
View Project
Forth Valley Maggie's Centre
View Project
St Columba's Church
View Project
Edinburgh Royal Hospital For Children And Young People
View project
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium -- Commissioning
View Project

Testimonials

Nick and the FC team provide us a unique service. They have adapted a collection of properties for us so that they are very simple to use for the owners, while providing alerts and monitoring for our support team. Any issue such as a leak, boiler fault or electrical surge can be picked up and dealt with by the team before the owners even become aware. The FC team are attentive, reliable and conscientious.
Mary
We asked Function Control to design and supply a lighting and heating control system on two properties for us. Nick and his team could not have been more helpful. They were patient with our Sub- contractors and ourselves, and produced a fantastic end result. I would heartily recommend them.
Andy
I self-managed full renovation of my Georgian Townhouse in 2018. The end result is a stunning smart home that I love. Nick, Mark and Chris were responsive and supportive throughout. More recently Nick has been able to take lighting ideas from me and adapt the house with solutions to create the effects and lighting moods I want.
Martin
Our Function Control technology has given us cutting edge control over heating and lighting which significantly enhances our enjoyment of our new property. Nick Laing could not have been more helpful in setting everything up exactly as we wished.
Richard Loudon—Property Partner Simpson & Marwick
I hired Function Control as part of a refurbishment of my 7 bedroom house in East Lothian. They designed and integrated a home control system that provided full control over heating (by room), lighting (over 100 circuits), gates, key access door, garage door, automatic conservatory windows, etc. They did an excellent job, worked well with main contractor, delivered on time, provided very attentive service and after service. I would recommend them.
Andrew
Nick designed and installed a very clever system to control electrics, heating, security and sounds system in our home which was being totally renovated. He has been a delight to deal with, patient with architects, electricians and us clients. He is tenacious and will always work to find a solution and seems to remain calm under pressures. I can't recommend him highly enough for an unusual combination of thorough and rigorous technical knowledge combined with an easy pleasant manner.
Anne
These guys really know their stuff. Mark was very straightforward and easy to work with. He had to get to grips with a 16 year old KNX system and bring it up to date for LEDs etc. In the process they added a central controller so we could modify lighting scenes through an app. Overall, a good experience in response to a somewhat messy challenge of upgrading an aging system.
Oliver
We have no hesitation in fully recommending Function Control. Always willing to go the extra mile to help, the team have been excellent in devising and delivering the system, along with providing expert ongoing support. They’ve taken something complex and made it accessible for our needs as a family.
Ross
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Get In Touch...

If you have a question for us, or if you would like to discuss a project, we would love to speak to you. Please send us an email using the form below and we will get right back to you.

If you prefer to speak to us in person then please give Nick, Chris or Mark a call on 0131 440 1735.

FUNCTION CONTROL
Unit 9
Bilston Glen Enterprise Centre
1 Dryden Road
Loanhead
EH20 9LZ
t: 0131 440 1735
email: hello@functioncontrol.co.uk

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Increase Property Value

Smart home controls should be an investment that as well as providing many practical benefits to you as the homeowner also add value to your property.

The up-front cost of a professionally integrated smart home system may seem considerable but if the system has been well considered in relation to the market value of the property then the perceived increase in quality can boost the valuation in relation to competing properties.

It is worth speaking to a property specialist in your area for specific advice.

Long-term payback is also a major benefit of our smart home systems. Energy savings compound over time as lighting and heating is regulated in the most efficient way.

When it comes to updating or expanding the system after a number of years, adaptation is simple and straightforward, avoiding the mess and cost of invasive rewiring work.

Simplicity and Style

A Function Control smart home system helps to minimise the number and size of wall controllers in your home.

It only takes one button to recall a complex lighting scene. Another rocker on the same switch can control blinds, open a window or switch on ventilation.
That same switch position can also be the device that measures the room temperature for heating control.

The GIRA switch range offers a broad range of styles and finishes using solid machined materials for a weight and feel that sets them apart from the competition. Socket and electrical appliance finishes can be matched to create consistency throughout the property.

A single touchscreen can provide access to all of the smart home functions in a property including video entry.

Greater Comfort

With greater control will come greater comfort. We make sure simplicity is at the forefront for our customers, but the smart home system will be working in the background to make sure everything is just so.

The heating controls regulate each room at exactly the right temperature without fluctuations. As evening progresses the bedrooms cool gently and blackout blinds lower, readying for perfect sleep conditions.

Lighting can be tuned and set so that a single button press will recall that perfect scene to suit the way the room is to be used in that moment.

You choose how to control your home. Sometimes the humble wall switch may be the easiest and best option. Voice control could be the preference to close the blinds while you are on the sofa. If you forgot to switch off the heating before a weekend away then remote access via smartphone app may be the way to go.

Energy Efficiency

The biggest impact in making a building energy efficient is found by achieving really good thermal insulation so that heat energy put in will not escape too easily in winter and excess heat from outside (it does happen in Scotland) cannot cause overheating in summer.

In modern builds, MVHR systems keep the air fresh in the house without allowing the heat energy to escape with the stale air.

Using energy efficient LED lighting further improves energy efficiency as less energy is lost as heat and longer fitting lifespan results in less maintenance cost.

The smart home system can further improve energy efficiency by regulating room temperatures more accurately than a conventional heating system, preventing temperature spikes and troughs.

Each room can be controlled independently with temperature set points for comfort, eco, and frost protect. Spare rooms can be held at an eco temperature until they need to be used, when they can be returned to their comfort temperature.

Natural heating and cooling can be utilised by making use of solar gain through windows when rooms are cold or deflecting heat with shutters or blinds to keep things cool.

Making it easier to switch off the lights helps to avoid wasted energy. A button at the front door which will switch off all the lights in the house and motion detectors to control lights in small rooms such as utility rooms and WC’s

Energy monitoring and management allows the owner to see how energy is being consumed in the home. High load appliances and car chargers can be configured to use electricity at the most cost-effective times. The smart home system can decide how renewable energy sources are utilised.

Future Ready and Versatile

Your smart home system will be designed using standards that ensure that the system remains adaptable and future ready.

In the past decade we have seen tablets and smartphones become essential devices in everyone’s lives, with voice control being used for more and more purposes in the home. Many of the projects we support pre-date these technologies, yet we can easily update any Function Control smart home to include app control and voice control.

We don’t know what the future may hold for the smart home industry, but we are confident that a Function Control smart home will be versatile enough to last a lifetime.

Discovery

A time for us to listen. Tell us about your lifestyle and your aspirations for the building that will become your home.

From these initial conversations we will shape your vision into a structured specification, suggesting the best solutions to meet your brief with clarity and understanding.

Ideas are pulled together to create a conceptual design for your project with an indication of likely budget.

Discovery Meeting

Design

Work begins to develop the conceptual design, adding granular detail. Once we have every element defined we get your sign-off on the fully detailed design.

The fully detailed design is used to generate the technical documentation required by contractors, consisting of drawings, cable schedules and installation instructions. We call this the Contractors Data Pack.

Mobilisation

The construction process begins. The FC team work closely with the appointed contractors, overseeing the installation and supporting the construction phase with regular site visits and technical support.

While the electricians are running the cable infrastructure on-site, the smart home controls and enclosures are being pre-built and configured in the calm clean quiet of the FC workshops. This speeds and simplifies work on-site while ensuring the controls hardware arrives on-site clean and ready to go.

Architects on Site

Commissioning

The FC team will fit the final parts of your control system. Decorative switches, touchscreens and sensitive parts are fitted with care and attention, then we begin the commissioning process, testing to make sure that your smart home performs exactly as anticipated.

Laptop and Hard Hat

Completion

At handover we introduce you to your smart home system with a walk-through to make sure you are familiar with how it all behaves. Once you settle in to your home we will check in with you in case you would like any tweaks or modifications to how the system is working.

A full homeowners Operation & Maintenance pack is handed over to you as an electronic file. This consists of installation drawings and schedules for your home as well as the supporting documentation and files for all of the products installed.

Ongoing support and servicing is always available from Function Control. Contact us by phone or email to arrange a visit or to access remote technical support.

Make life even simpler by joining our Premier Service subscription plan which provides an annual service for your system plus preferential rates for call-outs and system modifications. Click here to find out more about our Premier Service subscription.

System Design

How your smart home looks and performs can be unique and individual to you. We listen to your aspirations for your project and work alongside your architect to design a perfectly tailored and versatile control solution from the outset.

As part of our design service we generate technical drawings, installation data and technical manuals to support the installation phase on-site.

Mark Working On Plans

Lighting Design

With our premium lighting design service we can offer everything from subtle mood lighting to large feature lights which will transform and define a space.

You can be confident that a lighting design by us will also take into consideration the technical detail required to integrate the lighting into the house so that the installation looks great and performs perfectly.

When designing the lighting concept for a project we take into consideration the performance specification of the luminaries – practical function, light output, colour temperature, colour rendering, dimming performance and expected lifespan. Installation detail and wiring requirements for site are documented to make sure that the install process goes without a hitch.

Subtly Lit Room

Music and AV

Depending on the project we may suggest keeping it simple with a smart TV and some music players such as SONOS in key rooms. We can go bigger though….

Multi-room music, invisible speakers, audiophile installations and professional home cinemas that operate as an integral part of your smart home. Dim the lights, close the curtains and start the movie at the touch of a button.

Hand Controls

Networking and WiFi

You want to be confident that your home will have a stable internet connection and a strong Wifi signal in every corner. It would be frustrating to find that your Wifi signal was weak in your favourite spot where you like to go online.

We design a wired network so that fixed devices like smart TV’s can be connected to the network with a cable. This frees up your Wifi network to deal with fewer devices and less network traffic. Wireless Access Points installed around the house keep the signal strong regardless of how far away you are from the internet router.

These network cables all have to come back to a central point so we will also design a network rack to manage the network distribution and to house any network devices involved. This keeps things tidy, reduces faults and allows for easy maintenance.

Girl with Tablet
Hands with iPhone

Supply and Configure

Building sites are busy places, often with many trades working in the same space at the same time. We reduce the pressure on-site by pre-assembling control panels and racks in our workshop. Devices such as KNX switches are programmed and tested. We literally set up your virtual ‘house’ in our workshop and test the control functions room by room.

Once site is clean and the electrical installation is ready the FC control panels and devices are delivered for fitting and termination by the electricians. This ensures that the commissioning phase is fast and streamlined, with minimal time spent testing on-site.

Wired Rack
Testing Circuit Racks

Project Management

Since a Function Control smart home system can be used to control all of the electrical and mechanical services in a building we are required to have a hand in the design of all of these services.

No other party is better able to oversee the electro-technical aspects of the project than us.

We communicate closely with the electricians and heating engineers to make sure that each contractors package is correctly defined and all responsibilities have been covered.

Project Management Meeting

Maintenance Subscriptions

A regular system health check and software update schedule will keep your building performing at its most efficient. It is also a great chance for you to tell us about anything that needs adjustment or that you would like changed.

We check the KNX system health, remove any dust build-up inside the panels and action any modifications you would like. Servers and network distribution devices are checked for updates to keep your system secure and add any new functionality.

Please contact us here for more information.

KNX Smart Home – West Scotland

Function Control were delighted to be appointed to oversee the full design, specification, supply & programming of this high-specification, luxury self-build smart home in West Central Scotland.

The clients were existing customers and wanted to have a future proof smart home system and asked us to help specify & design the whole home system to include:

  • KNX Lighting Control
  • KNX Zoned Underfloor Heating Control
  • KNX Electric Blind Control
  • KNX Electric Fakro Window Control
  • KNX MVHR Interface
  • KNX presence detectors for automatic lighting
  • KNX Custom inscribed Gira pushbuttons to allow dimming & scene control
  • Fire Alarm Interface
  • 4K Video Distribution
  • Control4 Multi-Room Audio
  • Control4 Universal Remote
  • Unifi Whole Home Wifi
  • Gira Gate Intercom System
  • Remote Access & support

Additionally, we carried out the full lighting design for the property and supplied high quality downlights and LED tape.

We provided the client’s electrician with full drawings and schematics to enable them to run cables to our specifications and had regular meeting onsite.

The main control backbone of the system is KNX, allowing a mixture of manufacturers to be chosen to produce a reliable, robust system. 3 separate lighting & blind control panels & 4 underfloor manifold controllers in the house allow fine control over all aspects of the comfort settings of the individual rooms.

Control4 provides control of the audio visual side of the smart home. 8 zones of multi-room audio and Video sources distributed to 4 TVs around the house, including a 5.1 surround sound system with 85” Sony TV in the drawing room.

 

With special thanks to CES Electrical for the electrical contracting, and Silent Gliss with Tangram Furnishers for the motorised blind supply & installation

Pictures & Video by Wink Creative

 

Edinburgh Townhouse Renovation

Function Control were delighted to be appointed to oversee the full design, specification, supply & programming of this high-spec, luxury townhouse renovation in Edinburgh.The client was an existing customer who had a very similar KNX townhouse project completed in 2019 with us and already saw the benefit of a wired, reliable automation system.

The property is split into a 4 floor Townhouse, Basement apartment and 2 converted Mews properties at the rear of the building. All have their own self contained KNX systems so the property can be split into individual units in the even they are separately sold, but have been prewired so that they can be combined at a later date.

In total there are 7 KNX control panels plus 4 Data & AV racks covering:

  • KNX Lighting Control
  • KNX Zoned Radiator & Electric Underfloor Heating Control
  • KNX presence detectors for automatic lighting
  • KNX Gira Push button sensors
  • Fire Alarm Interface
  • Leak detection in bathrooms
  • Sonos Multi-Room Audio
  • Centralised Virgin TV boxes distributed through the property
  • Unifi Whole Home Wifi
  • Gira Door Intercom System with access keypads
  • Gira & Zennio Touchscreens
  • CCTV
  • Remote Access & support

Additionally, we carried out the full lighting design for the property and supplied high quality downlights from SG Armaturen and LED tape.

We provided the client’s electrician with full drawings and schematics to enable them to run cables to our specifications and had regular meeting onsite.

Project in collaboration with GLM Architects

With thanks to JRF Electrical for the electrical contracting.

Interior Design by Flaunt Interior Design

 

Energy Efficient Home, Cairngorms National Park

Advanced control and monitoring of a high efficiency new-build home near Aviemore to bring together lighting, heating, MHVR ventilation and solar energy systems. Function Control Ltd designed a KNX system to control and monitor all aspect of this high specification building.

Logging of recorded actual heating performance and energy usage data from the KNX system is to be used to compare against the design projections.

• Monitoring of solar hot water input
• Monitoring of electrical usage
• Switching of MHRV system for boost and away mode
• MHRV system inhibit in case of fire alarm
• Zone control of electric underfloor heating and air heating elements
• Towel radiator timer control
• IP camera monitoring
• Security system monitoring
• Energy monitoring
• Weather station monitoring

Finishes from the GIRA E22 flush mount range are used throughout for switches and electrical accessories. Multi-gang accessories are used to combine USB charging, 13A sockets, 5A lighting points and data points in a smart and stylish manner.

In collaboration with SHS Burridge Architects.

 

Luxury Apartment, Edinburgh

Work on the renovation of this grand Edinburgh, New Town flat began in of summer of 2015 and was completed, on time and to budget, by spring 2016.

Function Control Ltd were invited to design a comprehensive control system for this property with the requirements as follows:

• Matching designer finishes throughout for all switches, electrical accessories and door entry intercom
• LED lighting scene control
• Zoned heating control, with a combination of radiators and electric underfloor heating
• Motorised individual and group blind controls
• Automatic shading function to protect a piano from sun damage
• Security system monitoring
• iPad control of all functions
• Remote access to building functions

KNX technology with bespoke GIRA finishes and electrical accessories were utilised to successfully meet the design brief. As part of our service, KNX electrical design drawings and wiring schedules were provided to the on-site installers and meetings were held to discuss the installation process. Progress on the wiring of the control system infrastructure was swift and seamless due to close collaboration between Function Control Ltd and the main electrical contractors.

The KNX enclosures, pre-configured and pre-tested in the Function Control Ltd workshop, were delivered to site in early February and connected into the building wiring infrastructure. This process minimised the on-site installation time and allowed a fast evolution from building site to functioning home at the stage of a project when it most counted.

 

Georgian House Renovation, Scottish Borders

Function Control were brought in to oversee the design, specification, control and programming  of a large family home with 34 zones of heating and whole home lighting & blind control using KNX

The client became aware of KNX whilst researching smart home systems and after discounting other wireless systems due to the size and age of the property, they decided to install a wired system as the whole property was being fully renovated.

Given the size of the property, the heating system is fairly decentralised. There are 10 separate radiator and underfloor heating manifold controllers throughout the property, as well as electric heating mats within the bathrooms. Individual heating control of every room in the house is then possible

2 Hot water tanks at either end of the property are brought under control of the KNX system and any 2-port valves are controlled and also monitored for faults.

Lighting, heating & blind control uses a mixture of Gira Push Button Sensor 4s, Gira KNX Buttons  and discreet Jung PIRs, whilst the Gira X1 & S1 provide app control, visualisation and remote support from Function Control. External PIRs provide security lighting and external light levels and temperature readings

Future proof wiring was installed to allow us to tie in additional outbuildings to the KNX system in the future

 

 

  

Morningside House, Edinburgh

Function Control Ltd provided KNX design and commissioning services for integration of a complex lighting scheme, heating control and motorised blind control for this high specification luxury home in Edinburgh.

A wide range of different designer LED lighting features throughout the house are brought under control with scene lighting control from GIRA wall switches and from iPad visualisation. Dimming methods including mains dimming, 1-10v dimming and KNX LED dimming work together in a seamless system. Light scenes can be set up then stored for easy recall with one button press.

Underfloor heating and radiators are zone controlled with individual room temperature controllers integrated into the wall switches. No extra room thermostats or radiator TRV’s were required helping to keep the walls clear of ‘controller clutter’. The owner can set heating timers and make room temperature adjustments in each room or via iPad.

Blinds can be raised and lowered as a group or individually window by window using the wall switches or iPad.

Garden Lighting switches on at dusk using the astro clock function from the KNX system ensuring that the lights never come on before dark and follow the sunset times according to date and location.

Hot water cylinder temperatures are recorded and displayed in graph form for viewing and monitoring purposes. The original purpose of this was to allow monitoring hot water temperature so that the owner would know if they needed to boost the hot water in order to get a hot bath. The function has since been used to ascertain the exact time of a boiler failure.

Switches at the house exits and bedside have been programmed to additionally provide a ‘Central Off’ function to allow all lights in the house to be switched off with a single button press.

 

Mews Cottage, Edinburgh

A tight Mews plot in the centre of Edinburgh required a creative approach in order to make a bright and airy family home.

Blagden Property invited Function Control to provide a lighting design and supply service. We made sure that the spaces retained their bright and spacious feel day or night with unique skylight lighting solutions, subtle feature lighting and carefully positioned task lighting.

 

Private Swimming Pool, Edinburgh

KNX and DMX lighting control was used to provide a simple and stylish interface in this lighting design project for a new swimming pool extension in a private home in Edinburgh. Completed in collaboration with LEC Design Ltd and W N Thompson Architects.

Aluminium GIRA E22 switches with bespoke button inscriptions provide lighting scene recall in the pool area, outside decking area and changing room. Colour-change lighting can recall colour presets with the touch of a button or the system can scan through a full rainbow of colours until the desired hue is found.

LED light sources were used throughout for energy efficiency and longevity. All light fittings and switches were selected to exceed the requirements for use in a swimming pool environment. Custom pool cover controls were specified from the GIRA E22 range to complement the light switches.

Music in the pool area is provided by recessed ceiling speakers fed by a Marantz Media Music system located in a separate room. This system was chosen to provide the client with CD, iPod and Tuner sources as well as internet streaming services. A dedicated touchscreen as well as a smartphone app allow easy wireless control of the system while in the pool area.

The KNX infrastructure has been extended into the existing house to provide an easy method for future expansion of the system to take in garden lighting or upgrades to lighting or heating control in the rest of the house.

7-Bed Home, North Berwick, Forth Estuary

Complete renovation of this late 18th century house was undertaken in 2015 providing opportunity for the owner to utilise modern technologies to vastly increase energy efficiency and add state-of-the-art functionality.

Function Control Ltd designed a KNX system to provide lighting control, heating control, remote monitoring and access control. The owner has complete control of all building functions while away from home including:

• Switching and dimming of individual lighting circuits
• Heating controls by room and heating timers
• Hot water cylinder temperature graph and timer
• Cooker kill switch
• Motorised garage door
• Motorised windows
• Weather station monitoring for real time weather info
• Monitoring of leak detection system
• Monitoring of boiler status with error and service warnings
• Monitoring of alarm system
• Remote camera viewing
• Door access control by mobile phone
• Gate access control by mobile phone

The project uses GIRA wall switches from the E22 stainless steel range. Their crisp modern style is very striking in combination with the original features retained throughout the house.

Control of lighting, heating and other functions is possible via the wall switches in each room, via a dedicated touchscreen in the Kitchen, on iPad and on iPhone.

 

Forth Valley Maggie's Centre

Function Control Ltd provided a lighting control solution for the new Forth Valley Maggie’s Centre which opened to the public on 15th March 2017.

Maggie’s centres are founded in the belief that sensitively designed and well crafted material quality is a pre-requisite to generating the nurturing, healing and inspiring environment for cancer patients, their families and supporters, for which they are renowned.

The design brief was based around presence and absence detection lighting control with different behaviours required for different areas of the centre, some areas being fully automatic and others incorporating manual switching alongside absence detection. Complex programming was developed in a KNX logic device to integrate light level dimming and absence delays followed by slow dimming of the lights to off.

Motorised windows and a kitchen extractor were late additions to the control system but were integrated successfully allowing a ‘central off’ function to be programmed to close windows and stop the extractor as well as switch off all lights at the end of the day.

Architectural specification required matching finishes for switches and sockets from the GIRA plywood linoleum range.

Images by garbersjames.com

 

St Columba's Church

St Columba's Church, Edinburgh

St Columba’s Church committee approached Function Control Ltd for lighting advice as the church lighting was difficult to maintain and provided poor practical lighting.

We were able to spend time discussing design options with the Church Committee and developed a versatile and comprehensive design which has solved the previous lighting issues and accentuates the appearance of the church.

Issues noted were:

Poor light coverage in the Nave and Chancel
High level of maintenance and hard to access fittings
Inefficient lights wasting energy
Unattractive appearance of floodlights

ERCO LED spotlights and pendants were selected for their reliability and subtle design which blends in well with the Church architecture.

Spotlights light down the walls, up into the timber roof structure and dramatically highlight the Altar, Mural and Font. Sleek cylindrical pendants are utilised to provide good reading light over the congregation.

A KNX based control solution was integrated to provide user configured lighting scenes recalled from a switch position in the church and via smartphone app.

Future upgrades are being considered for integration of lighting timers and heating control as part of the KNX system.

 

Edinburgh Royal Hospital For Children And Young People

The Edinburgh Royal Hospital For Children And Young People moved to Little France from its historic location in Sciennes near Edinburgh city centre in 2020. The new building conveniently adjoins the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Function Control Ltd were appointed to commission and test the lighting control system for the new building which uses KNX and DALI technology, a process carried out over 2 years as the building evolved from a building site to a fully equipped and occupied hospital. We systematically programmed and tested the building controls ensuring a robust system was installed which can be effectively maintained and easily modified during the life of the building.

KNX and DALI make up a versatile lighting installation which can be adapted to changing needs and layouts within the building with minimal disruption in comparison to conventional lighting installations.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Commissioning

Function Control assisted with the KNX & DALI commissioning at the amazing new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that opened in 2019 alongside a small army of other KNX engineers and Schneider Electric.

This was a fascinating project given the sheer scale of the stadium and shows the limitless possibilities and scalability of KNX. Nearly every single light in the stadium can be individually controlled and 60,000 checks per hour are carried out by the smart Building Management System to both keep it running smoothly and keep energy costs down.

 

  

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Privacy Policy

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Under the General Data Protection Regulation, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from you. We do not pass on your details to any third party unless you give us permission to do so.

What information do we collect?

If you email us an enquiry or send us feedback, you will be asked for a limited amount of contact information so that we can respond to your request and follow up to ensure that it has been dealt with to your satisfaction.
We do not pass on any of your personal information outside our company when dealing with your enquiry. We will not use any information you supply for any other purpose without first seeking your permission.
If you register an interest in receiving regular updates, your details will be kept indefinitely. You have the option to check the details supplied by you, to update these details, or to remove your name from any mailing lists by contacting info@functioncontrol.co.uk.
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If you have a query or complaint about this privacy policy or about the site, you can contact us by e-mailing info@functioncontrol.co.uk
If this privacy policy changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page.

Latest Revision Date: 26 June 2023

About Us

Our Why

We enhance peoples lives by making buildings perform better.

Function Control Ltd was established by Nick Laing in 2015 offering services to design and implement smart building solutions for luxury homes, offices and assisted living projects.

We like to listen to our customers aspirations for their building and consider how we can help. Every project is individual but the following question is universal:

‘How do we create smart buildings that simplify daily life, improve the living environment for occupants and save energy?’

The Team

Nick
Nick Laing – Director

‘Buildings have an incredible ability to affect our mood and our behaviour. In the UK we spend 90% our lives indoors, I want the buildings we occupy to actively improve our health and wellbeing by responding to our needs.

I’m excited by every new project as it is an opportunity for a new relationship to be developed with trust and understanding. I love the feeling when I get positive feedback following completion of a challenging project.’

Nick studied Audio Technology and Electronics at Glasgow Caledonian University before taking his first real job as an AV engineer at the Millennium Dome. He then moved into the Film Post Production industry in London where career highlights included crawling around the feet of movie stars such as Michael Caine and Ewan MacGregor as he performed ad-hoc repairs during recording sessions.

Mark
Mark Hardie – Integrated system engineer

I had an early fascination with finding out how things work. This usually meant most of my toys & gadgets were opened up & dismantled (and to the disappointment of my parents, various other electrical devices around the home) Occasionally, they were even put back together!

I took this interest into an Electrical & Electronic engineering degree at Strathclyde University before getting involved in the audio visual and smart home industry. I take great pride in designing and implementing an integrated home specifically for each client’s needs.

Chris
Chris O’Brien – Integrated system engineer

When people choose to design their new dream homes thoughts are often for the exciting, the here and now. One of the great motivations about incorporating technology into a building’s fabric is knowing that a fantastic space has been created which is adaptable to the residents ever changing needs. Ideally this can ensure that people can remain in their homes for the longest time despite the challenges older age and circumstances brings.

Chris met Nick whilst working at the Millennium Dome where he honed his skills for driving a golf buggy to faulty plasma screen walls, climbing very high ladders and foiling diamond heists.

 

Poppy the Dog
Poppy – Office Dug

I’m still learning the ropes, but I think I have already found my niche in information security, shredding any paper I can get near. I also take pride in enforcing regular screen breaks for the rest of the team.

 

Chris and Mark in Office
Mark Working On Plans
Chris Wiring Rack

Join Us

You might already have a job, but would you like to join our journey?

Are you excited by the prospect of working in a small innovative team where you will regularly be asked to step outside the constraints of your main job role? A job where you can grow and develop?

As a small tight-knit team each of us has to cover a number of job roles at once. You may have an unusual combination of skills or an interest to learn new ones.

Don’t worry if you don’t have the qualifications you think you need yet. It is far more important to us that you have enthusiasm and a genuine interest in making a difference in our industry. We train our people and help them gain industry recognised qualifications.

Would you fit a combination of any of the roles below? Treat it like a pick’n’mix and drop us an email if you think you are a good fit. Tell us who you are and why you would like to get involved.

Trainee smart buildings engineer
Admin assistant
Smart buildings engineer
Panel/rack builder
Marketing manager
Sales manager
Project manager
Assistive technology specialist
Systematisation guru

All roles are hybrid or office based, from our office in Loanhead, Edinburgh. Dependent on role, some work will require travel to building sites and client homes.

Virtual Golf
Labelling Beer Bottles
Charity Runners
Chris with Mug

FAQs

Our budgets range from £15k to £250k+ dependent on the size and scope of the project. There really is no one-size-fits-all solution. We can very quickly provide you with a rough indication of price if you have plans and can answer a few simple questions about the scope of your project.

Click here to send us an email and we will get right back to you.

If you prefer to speak to us in person then please give Nick, Chris or Mark a call on 0131 440 1735

Our service is designed to support any competent electrician to be able to complete the electrical installation aspects of a project. Since electrical installation is not included in our services this leaves you free to choose your preferred Main Contractor who may have their own electrical team.

Not at all. Our service will support any competent electrician to understand and complete the electrical installation required for our systems.

We specialise in providing the most robust and versatile control systems which will provide decades of reliable service regardless of technological advances in the future. To achieve real smart home integrations different services in the home must be able to communicate and interact together. Linking IoT products using home network, wifi and the cloud can be unreliable and complicated to maintain.

At the heart of every Function Control system is KNX, the international standard for building control. Over 500 manufacturers make KNX compatible equipment and the range of products spans lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, motorised blinds, music systems and much more.

KNX has been used in award winning projects around the world and has both a proven track record and a future-proof design.

KNX devices each have a microprocessor and communicate with each other using a serial bus communication principal. This allows the system to be wired using a single installation cable which links each switch and device. Upgrades and additions to the system can be made with minimal invasive work.

Learn more about KNX

Wireless and battery free devices. EnOcean energy harvesting technology allows switches and devices to convert the energy they need using solar, thermal or kinetic energy. For instance, an EnOcrean switch will use the energy you put in by pressing the switch to send a wireless signal.

What this means is less toxic chemicals as EnOcean devices rarely need batteries, and since you don’t need to remember to replace depleted batteries the system requires much less maintenance.

We love to use EnOcean wireless devices where a cabled device is unsuitable, like window and door sensors or where a device needs to be added retrospectively.

Learn more about EnOcean

We can support you with maintenance, repairs and modifications to your systems on-demand. Just email hello@functioncontrol.co.uk to arrange an appointment.

If you prefer to speak to us in person then please give Nick, Chris or Mark a call on 0131 440 1735.

For complete peace of mind we offer smart home maintenance subscriptions. For a low monthly charge we will provide an annual service of your system and preferential rates for call-outs and modifications.

Click here to find out more about Premier Service.

Function Control use KNX as the basis of all of our projects as it is considered a future-proof solution. As a tightly regulated standard with hundreds of participating manufacturers KNX is the only option we recommend for professional smart home infrastructure.

Learn more

Let us help you! Because intelligent building control covers so many aspects of a building project Function Control like to work as part of the design team and get involved in the project as early as possible.

Initially we will work with you and your architect to form a provisional design to suit the specific needs and style of the project, selecting the building elements to control and offering products to suit.

If you would like to chat to us about a project please Click here to send us an email.

If you prefer to speak to us in person then please give Nick, Chris or Mark a call on 0131 440 1735.

You may have experienced a KNX smart building without realising it. Many luxury homes have KNX infrastructure and there are also many high profile hotels and commercial buildings which rely on KNX to provide robust and reliable controls.

The 2022 KNX UK award winning project was a new build passivhaus barn project by New Land Solutions.

Heathrow Terminal 5 and Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Children and Young People rely on KNX for their complex lighting needs.

A weather station can be a huge asset in a smart home system as the external climate information can be used in so many ways to make your building respond in a helpful manner.

Bastian Elsner from Elsner Elektronik explains many of the benefits here