Notes from the
drawing board.
Articles on smart home automation, lighting design, security, sustainable power, and the questions architects, designers, and homeowners ask us most often.
Ketra Tunable Architectural Lighting — Is the Premium Worth It on a Vancouver Island Home?
An honest deep-dive on Lutron Ketra for Vancouver Island custom homes — what makes it different from standard architectural LED, where the 3-5× premium is justified, where it isn't, and how it integrates with HomeWorks and Crestron.
Lutron Palladiom Motorised Drapery — A Buyer's Guide for Vancouver Island Custom Homes
Why Lutron Palladiom is the ultra-luxury choice for motorised drapery on Vancouver Island — quiet motors, architectural-grade hardware, fabric coordination, real cost per opening, and when to specify it during a custom build.
Lutron HomeWorks vs Crestron Lighting — Which Platform for Your Vancouver Island Custom Home
An honest comparison of Lutron HomeWorks and Crestron lighting platforms for Vancouver Island luxury custom homes — keypad finishes, programming depth, integration with audio-video and shading, lifecycle cost, and which one fits which project.
Kohler Standby Generators on Vancouver Island — A Local Guide
How standby generator installation works on Vancouver Island custom homes — Kohler residential and commercial units, sizing for the regional outage profile, fuel routing, automatic transfer switches, and what it costs.
Indoor Golf Simulator Installation on Vancouver Island — A Local Guide
How residential golf simulator design and installation work on Vancouver Island custom homes — Foresight Sports vs TruGolf vs Trackman, room geometry, integration with the home automation, and what it costs.
Electrical Design & Coordination on Vancouver Island — A Local Guide
How permittable electrical design and coordination work on Vancouver Island custom homes — RCPs, panel schedules, load calculations, and what it means to manage every trade that ends in a wire.
Motorised Shading & Drapery on Vancouver Island — A Local Guide
How motorised shades and motorised drapery work on Vancouver Island custom homes — Lutron Palladiom vs Crestron CSM, fabric coordination, head-detail integration, and what it costs per opening.
Smart Climate Control Integration on Vancouver Island — A Local Guide
How smart climate control works on Vancouver Island custom homes — heat pump integration, multi-zone scheduling, scene-driven setpoints, and the line between HVAC trade and integration scope.
Home Networking & WiFi on Vancouver Island — A Local Guide
How custom home network design and installation works on Vancouver Island — wired backbone, managed wireless, Starlink integration for rural properties, VLAN segmentation, and what it costs.
Architectural Lighting Design on Vancouver Island — A Local Guide
How layered architectural lighting design works on Vancouver Island custom homes — Lutron HomeWorks vs Crestron, Ketra tunable lighting, fixture specification, scene programming, and what it costs.
Home Theatre & Audio-Video Integration on Vancouver Island — A Local Guide
How home theatre, distributed audio, and whole-home video integration work in Vancouver Island custom homes — speaker placement, room geometry, equipment closet planning, and what it costs.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in Tofino & Ucluelet — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work on the West Coast — Tofino, Ucluelet, Chesterman Beach, Cox Bay, Pacific Rim. Vacation rentals, extreme marine exposure, storm-watching properties.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras on Pender Island — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work on North and South Pender Island — vacation homes, off-grid considerations, ULC dispatch on a quiet Gulf Island.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in the Cowichan Valley — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work across the Cowichan Valley — Duncan, Cobble Hill, Cowichan Bay, Maple Bay, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, and the wine country. ULC monitoring, free assessment, no contract required.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras on the West Shore — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work across the West Shore — Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Highlands, Metchosin, Sooke. ULC monitoring, free assessment, no contract required.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras on Salt Spring Island — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work on Salt Spring Island — Ganges, Vesuvius, Fulford, the North End. Vacation-home remote monitoring, off-grid considerations, ULC dispatch on a Gulf Island.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in the Comox Valley — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work across the Comox Valley — Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, Royston, Union Bay. ULC monitoring, free assessment, no contract required.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in Sidney & North Saanich — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work in Sidney and the Saanich Peninsula — Deep Cove, Ardmore, Curteis Point, the marina district. ULC monitoring, free assessment, no contract required.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in Saanich — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work in Saanich — Cordova Bay, Broadmead, Cadboro Bay, the Peninsula north of McKenzie. ULC monitoring, free assessment, no contract required.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in Qualicum Beach — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work in Qualicum Beach — waterfront retreats from Bowser through Deep Bay, considered new builds at Eaglecrest, and the rural acreages around the village. ULC monitoring, free assessment, no contract required.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in Parksville — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work in Parksville — oceanfront estates at Dorcas Point and Craig Bay, rural Errington acreages, and the wider Oceanside catchment. ULC monitoring, free assessment, no contract required.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in Nanaimo — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work in Nanaimo — North End waterfront, Hammond Bay, Stephenson Point, Lantzville. ULC monitoring, free on-site assessment, no contract required.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in Oak Bay — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control work in Oak Bay — from heritage Uplands estates to new Beach Drive builds. Heritage-respectful installs, ULC monitoring, and what the local alarm-permit rules mean.
Monitored Alarm Systems & Security Cameras in Victoria — A Local Guide
How alarm monitoring, security cameras, and access control actually work in Victoria — from heritage Oak Bay homes to North Saanich waterfront acreages and downtown commercial. What to install, what it costs, and what the local alarm-permit rules mean for your insurance.
Smart Home Automation in Qualicum Beach — A Local Guide
How smart home automation works in Qualicum Beach custom homes — waterfront retreats from Bowser through Deep Bay, considered new builds at Eaglecrest, and the rural acreages around the village. What to specify, when to bring an integrator in, and what it costs.
Smart Home Automation in Parksville — A Local Guide
How smart home automation works in Parksville custom homes — oceanfront estates at Dorcas Point and Craig Bay, forested acreages in Errington, and the wider Oceanside catchment. What to specify, when to bring an integrator in, and what it costs.
Smart Home Automation in Nanaimo — A Local Guide
How smart home automation works in Nanaimo custom homes — waterfront new builds on Hammond Bay, Stephenson Point, and the North End. What to specify, when to bring an integrator in, and what it costs.
BC Alarm Permit Guide — What Vancouver Island Homeowners Need to Know
Most BC municipalities require an alarm permit for monitored security systems — Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Nanaimo, and the rest of Vancouver Island each run their own bylaws. A practical guide to the rules, fees, and false-alarm penalties.
Smart Home Automation in the Comox Valley — Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland
How smart home automation works in the Comox Valley — Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, Royston, Union Bay. The Mid-Island North catchment Wenner serves from the Nanaimo Experience Centre.
Smart Home Automation on Salt Spring Island
How smart home automation works on Salt Spring — modernist waterfront builds, off-grid timber-frame retreats, and multi-property estates. The integration scope that off-grid living actually requires.
Smart Home Automation in Oak Bay — A Local Guide
How smart home automation works in Oak Bay — from heritage homes in Uplands and Estevan Village to new builds along Beach Drive. What to specify, how heritage homes get retrofitted, and what it costs.
Smart Home Automation on the Mid-Island — Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum
How Wenner approaches smart home automation across the Mid-Island — from Nanaimo's North End and Hammond Bay through Parksville, Qualicum Beach, and the Comox Valley. What to specify, when to bring us in, and what to expect.
Smart Home Automation in Victoria — A Local Guide
How smart home automation actually works in Greater Victoria custom homes — from heritage Oak Bay retrofits to new Saanich Peninsula builds. What to specify, when to bring an integrator in, and what it costs.
Cost of Installing and Maintaining a Standby Generator
Standby generator pricing in BC — what installation costs, what ongoing maintenance costs, and what factors most affect the total.
The Cost of Professional Smart Home Systems
What Control4, Crestron, and Lutron actually cost — typical pricing ranges for smart home automation in Vancouver Island custom homes.
Custom Security for Luxury Homes
What real security looks like for a luxury home — beyond the off-the-shelf alarm. Integrated systems, perimeter strategy, and discreet camera coverage.
Design + Documentation
Why the drawings matter as much as the equipment. How proper technology documentation prevents change orders, protects warranties, and keeps the project on schedule.
How a 4-Day Work Week Works at Wenner
Why Wenner Group operates on a 4-day work week — and what it means for the projects we deliver, the clients we work with, and the people we hire.
Securing Small Business in BC — Rebates and Best Practice
Commercial security on Vancouver Island — what BC small businesses should consider, what insurance discounts are available, and how local monitoring matters.
Alternative Power Solutions for Your Home
Backup power on Vancouver Island — what works for most homes, when battery storage makes sense, and how to think about resilience for your property.
How Smart Shades Can Enhance Your Home
Motorised shades and drapery from Lutron and Crestron — what they do, why they matter, and what to look for when specifying.
Should You Consider Human-Centric Lighting for Your Smart Home Project?
Tunable LED lighting that follows the body's circadian rhythm — what it is, how it works, and when it's worth specifying.
Why the Touch Panel Matters as Much as the Architecture
The user interface is what the homeowner actually touches every day. Why interface design determines whether a smart home gets used — or quietly stops being smart.
Home Automation Voice Control
Where voice control belongs in a luxury home — and where it doesn't. Honest assessment of Alexa, HomeKit, and Crestron voice integration.
What is Home Automation?
Home automation explained — what it actually is, what it can do, and how to think about specifying it for a Vancouver Island custom home.
Choosing the Right Security Solution
Wired vs wireless, monitored vs unmonitored, DIY vs professional install — how to think about security choices for a Vancouver Island property.