The journal
News from the Middle East and the wider industry, with our view on what it means for a villa, and candid reviews of brands we sell and brands we don't. Every entry links to its source.
The news
What was announced, what we make of it, and what it changes in the way we specify a villa.
- news
Stop forwarding port 3671, says the KNX Association
The KNX Association's own security note says what every villa owner with remote access should hear, and here is our take on it and what we specify.
- news
Matter in 2026 supports cameras, but the platforms still disagree
Matter 1.5 brought cameras but not one unified smart home, so here is where the standard stands and why a villa still needs a wired backbone.
- news
KNX on indoor air: measure first, then control
The KNX Association makes its case for demand-controlled ventilation, and we explain why a CO₂ sensor belongs in the majlis before a screen does.
The reviews
Brands we don't sell, reviewed as fairly as we would want ours to be: who each one is right for, and where it is weaker.
- review
Control4, reviewed by someone who does not sell it
Control4 is the most common non-KNX system in Gulf villas, so here is an honest look at what it does well, where the money goes and who should buy it.
- review
Loxone, reviewed by someone who does not sell it
Loxone, the Austrian all-in-one, is cheap per channel and runs the whole house from one brain, so here is why we still design on an open bus.
The rules
The engineering rules we design every villa to, written for the person who will live there.
All articles- article · 4 min read
How much does home automation cost for a villa in Dubai?
How a complete villa ELV package is priced in the UAE, system by system, what the price includes and leaves out, and the five choices that move the number the most.
- article · 5 min read
How to read an ELV bill, whoever it comes from
Eight questions to ask of any villa ELV bill, from the reason behind each line to power supplies, storage, spare ways, scope, VAT and the kind of price you see.
- article · 4 min read
You don't need smart switches. Keep the ones that match your sockets.
Why the switch line on a Homestat bill reads AED 0, how a binary input turns the switches you already chose into KNX controls, and when a keypad is worth it.
- article · 4 min read
Why an ELV quote takes three weeks, and what really happens in those weeks
What really fills the three weeks behind a villa ELV quote in the UAE, from the design desk queue to the margin review, and why none of it is engineering.