For those who crave such a futuristic dwelling, things that were once seen only in movies will soon become reality. With smart wiring plus the help of sensors, a home's lights, alarms, air-conditioning and electrical appliances would all be able to communicate automatically with each other.

Seeing the trend of smart technology is shifting from modern offices or hotels towards private homes, Siemens Limited has introduced what it calls a smart home system, to modernise lifestyles at home.

"Imagine if, when you arrived back home, lights in the living area are switched on, and the music system and the air-conditioner has started automatically in your preferred mode.

It is the concept of five-star hotels now available in residential areas," said Silvio Reale, vice president for building-system automation at Siemens Limited.

He said that with smart wiring technology, conventional wiring would be replaced with a new system which can control and monitor lighting, temperature, appliances and security, all through a single common cable.

Called Instabus EIB (European Installation Bus), the system is a two-wire bus line, unlike conventional wiring. It works in two ways: as power line, and as an information line for reliable and quick data transfer.

Providing digital communication between smart devices, the EIB bus line links all appliances to a decentralised communication system.

It allows sensors and devices to be mixed and matched, and sends data back and forth amongst them. The system works somewhat like a telephone line - it makes every switch, appliance, and electrical device communicate and exchange information via the bus, all on a shared transmission route.

Through this, sensors such as motion detectors and thermostats send "telegrams" over a transmission medium to so-called activators, the mechanisms that put devices into automatic action, to activate or deactivate the lights or the cooling system, for example.

When it comes to security, the system including sensors can help monitor windows, doors and rooms.

Should anyone try to force their way in, the system sets off an alarm. The lights go out, a noise system is activated, and an emergency call goes out over the phone line.

"Not only the lights, it is also able to control audio, television, home theatre and changes of temperature. These sensors and actuators can be programmed and linked as desired," said Reale.

With everything connected and controlled over the bus line, homeowners will also be introduced to new types of switches that enable users to easily operate devices in other rooms from anywhere convenient to them.

In the move to build a market for the smart-home technology in Thailand, he said the company has negotiated with real estate developers to implement the smart system in their new projects.

Reale said the first developer to embrace the technology is Raimon Land, and the company would implement the system at its Northshore Pattaya project, a high-rise condominium on Pattaya Bay. Apart from this, Raimon Land has agreed to implement the system at another project called "The Lofts Yennakart".

Equipped with the new system, property development projects are set to allow their residents not only to control everything at home with the press of a button, but also to operate them from outside using a mobile phone.