MOUNT VERNON — A 336-square foot smart house is being built at Knox County Career Center. The job is a collaborative effort from students in the Careers in Construction Trades, Computer Network Technology, and S.T.A.R.T. programs.
“This project will take around 2,000 manual hours to build,” .T.A.R.T. and Careers in Construction Trades instructor Keith Chester said. “Students gain experience in all different trades such as electrical, framing, rough-in plumbing, setting windows and doors, siding, stonework, shingles, tilework, a full bathroom, drywall, painting, and interior trim.
“This project is an accomplishment for the students, a real-life experience, and an opportunity to see what they would like to specialize in as a career.”
Jerry Hamilton, a senior in the Careers in Construction Trades program, said he’s enjoying the projec.
“I’ve learned a lot, really enjoyed doing rafters, framing, and the roof on the Smart House Project and am looking forward to doing the wiring,” Hamilton said. “Mr. Chester is a great instructor and really helpful.”
What makes it a smart house?
Students from Computer Network Technology explained this as a series of IoT (Internet of Things) controlled from a phone with a password protected app for the lights and fan, and a motion control sensor in the Smart House Project.
“Students who are installing the ‘Smart’ portion of the house will learn how to set up switches, fan control, and smart plugs all controlled by Raspberry Pi using Z-wave, which is a tiny computer,” Computer Network Technology instructor Nate Greene said.
Smart homes are going to be the homes of the future where you will be able to turn everything on and off with your phone — security, thermostat, home appliances, irrigation, and beyond.
The public will be able to visit the smart house, located in the Careers in Construction Trades/S.T.A.R.T. lab, during an Open House on Thursday, Nov. 21, from 5 to 7 p.m.
