Did you know that, according to crime prevention experts and law enforcement professionals, presence simulation is one of the most effective ways to prevent home burglaries? The theory is that thieves are opportunistic and look at unoccupied homes as easy targets.
The challenge?
As more people use timed lighting systems to create the illusion that they’re home, potential intruders have come to view their repetitive nature as a sign that the house is unoccupied. Burglars also look for homes with no activity or sound, such as music or TV.
The solution?
Mockupancy—smart technology that creates the illusion that you’re home. Here, we’ll explore what Mockupancy is and how it protects homes and families.
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Mockupancy Defined
Mockupancy stands for Mock Occupancy, or the ability to set up a system that makes your home look occupied when everyone is away. Smart home automation lies at its core, mimicking your typical daily routines, such as when you turn your lights on and off, open and close the shades, and switch on the TV.
Mimicking these patterns creates a very real sense that people are in your home and moving about as they usually do.
Bringing Mockupancy to Life with Smart Systems
The following are the essential ingredients for proactively protecting your home and creating the illusion that someone is present. The key to a successful illusion is making it appear as real as possible. A smart home does this for you by automatically simulating real habits in a randomized way.
- Home Automation: Control4, a world-renowned home automation platform, offers a Mockupancy mode. You activate it by pressing the “Away” button on a keypad by the door. In response, your smart home adjusts the lighting, shades, and audio-video systems, just as it would when you’re home.
- Lighting: Control4 learns your lighting habits over time and automates them, creating the impression that someone is home when everyone is away. Lights randomly turn on and off throughout the house, just as if someone were walking from the kitchen to the living room and back again.
- Motorized Shades: A smart home learns your routines, such as when you raise the motorized shades in the morning and in which rooms. Throughout the day, it automatically opens and closes them based on direct sunlight and the temperature. Before evening, the shades lower throughout your home for privacy. When you press the “Away” button, your window coverings continue to perform in much the same way.
- AV Equipment: The key to Mockupancy success is creating natural patterns that convey a sense of realism. To achieve this, the system turns TVs on and off throughout the home and plays music via various streaming services across multiple rooms. This activity mirrors your real-life entertainment schedule.
Integrating with Your Smart Security System
Your smart lighting and motorized shades also play a role in your broader security system. When a motion or contact sensor detects movement, it triggers your smart home to respond. This response can be configured with parameters, such as a stranger approaching your house at night, which may activate the spotlights, flash certain lights, and lock the doors.
These actions alert neighbors to a potential intrusion and help law enforcement locate the correct house. The shades can also be programmed to raise and lower, simulating a person looking out the window. At the same time, the live security camera feed appears on every TV and sends alerts to your smartphone. No matter where you are in the world, you can see what is happening at home via your mobile device.
At Wipliance, we believe proactive security measures offer the best defense. As a Certified Control4 Dealer with 20 years of experience, we specialize in custom technology and security solutions that align with our clients’ lifestyles while instilling peace of mind. To learn more about protecting your home through Mockupancy, contact Wipliance.
