This white paper is one of a series of thematic white papers covering various aspects of electrical installations in houses, flats and residential units. They are aimed at architects, designers, specification writers, decision makers and students.

When designing an electrical installation for the home it makes sense to also consider other networks and electrical devices besides the usual 230V mains for power sockets and lighting. For example, consider installing wiring for speakers or charging facilities for the electric car. A check is also required as to whether a Wi-Fi data network can be installed without a wired data network and whether structured cabling has been used. The design might also include a few small devices to make life easier and more comfortable for the residents. Finally, in this white paper we look to the near future by asking if we should store the energy generated by our solar panels for use when the sun isn’t shining, and a little further into the future by considering the merits of a separate DC network in the home.