new build

[znelbok]

It depends on where you are in regards to lighting.

UK/UA/Asia then Schneider [Clipsal] C-Bus is the definite winner here.

The guys in the US did not support it well enough so Square D pulled it form the market unfortunately.

If in the EU then I believe KNX is big there and it would be great to see KNX support in CQC.  Companies like ABB are big into KNX - I'm sure there are many others in the market as well.

For security, everyone goes with the M1 but I would suggest you take a look at the Cytech Comfort system - very similar in concept to the M1 but more advanced (IMO).

For the various relay control - Go with a ClickPLC.  So cheap and so flexible in what it can do.  New Ethernet PLC's are now available so the driver needs to be updated for that.

HVAC - There is a company called Cool Automation that do modules for most popular AC systems.  They do a HA interface that I have written the driver for but not yet commissioned.  This may give you more options in selection of a system.

thanks for the advice and sorry for slow reply. I need everything to be IP. I took a look at the cytech system, it does look more modern than m1. Have you used the Click PLC on ethernet? very high reliability is definitely a focus for me.

Not sure why everything has to be IP, but C-Bus is IP (the interface) and it uses cat5 to every switch and relay.

The ClickPLC's I have are serial but hanging off a serial device server.  My last PLC was an Ethernet one which is yet to be commissioned.  The existing ones sit in a shed that gets hot and they have never failed (touch wood).  The are industrial devices - cheap ones, but built to work.

A device server will get you out of trouble almost every time if you need to access the device by IP.  I have about serial 44 ports available through device servers.