YORKTOWN HEIGHTS — The Tech Center at Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES has begun construction of a Smart House as part of a group project involving several departments of the campus. The Smart House, which will incorporate the latest technology and link communications that usually exist separately so that they can pass information and commands between each other, will be up and running “hopefully by June,” according to Principal Catherine Balestrieri of BOCES, who is facilitating the project. This house is being built in the brick portion of the greenhouse in The Tech Center on the Yorktown campus.

The Smart House is a collaboration among many of the Tech Center departments. Students of the Computer-Assisted Design and Drafting class of Gerry Markel produced the plans, Carpentry teacher Al Cotoia and his students will construct inside structures and work stations; Larry Marino and his Construction Electricity students will install the lighting, and Carlo Vidrini and his Telecommunications Technology students will install the home technology integration equipment/systems. And the Operations and Maintenance Department at BOCES has supported the collaborative project by framing the inside structure.

“There will be four rooms with separate audio systems, which will be connected to a principal unit,” says Carlo Vidrini of the Smart House. Each room will have a phone system, security system, cable TV system, and motion-controlled lighting systems, all of which will be integrated.

In addition to advanced technology, the students working on this project are also learning the importance of environmental conservation. Motion-controlled lighting, for example, enables the lights to turn on in a room when someone enters it and turn off when they leave, without the person having to flick a switch. “Software communication and technology can be used to reduce energy use,” says Ms. Balestrieri. “New equipment will be installed in the Smart House to automate various tasks, with the goal being to educate students on Smart House technology as well as environmental issues.”