The National Broadband Network (NBN) is being rolled out across the country, bringing with it improved delivery of services in areas such as business, education, entertainment and health. As the roll out continues, the first 40 communities involved have been earmarked as locations to establish Digital Hubs.

With support from Clipsal by Schneider Electric and funding from the Australian Government, the City of Prospect, South Australia has developed one such Hub and officially opened it to the public on April 30.

“The Digital Hub showcases how the NBN technology can be used in the home environment,” says City of Prospect business and economic development director Justin Commons.

“We have our hub set up with different areas such as a kitchen, living room and home office. These spaces have been furnished with NBN ready appliances, such as a smart fridge which has an internet connected touch screen on the front, and internet-ready television, which can be used to browse the internet from the comfort of your couch.”

A Clipsal by Schneider Electric NBN distribution unit is installed at the site. The unit has been specifically developed to house NBN components. It can also accommodate many other connectivity options including wireless networking equipment.

An area has also been reserved for workstations, where 15-20 people can work or train at wireless computers, or watch the video wall, where video conferencing and presentations can be broadcast around the world. To power all these connections, Clipsal structured networking products have been donated to the site. Clipsal data outlets sit behind the fridge, televisions and also in the home office areas.

A Clipsal C-Bus lighting system, using Clipsal’s LED downlights, has been installed in the building.

To access the lighting control, two DLT switches have been installed, along with a Clipsal Colour touch screen. Integrated into this, is Clipsal Wiser, which through an iPad or iPhone, allows the user to log into the building and monitor and activate lighting, security and energy usage. Clipsal Cable Management floor boxes have also been installed at the site to carry power and data connections to the areas they require.

The C-Bus system has been configured so that once the room is alarmed, the lights will automatically dim down and then power to all the outlets will be turned off. This means that energy savings are made because appliances are not left in standby mode. To further promote energy efficiency, energy monitoring has been integrated into the C-Bus system.

In addition to the main room, a conference room has also been kitted out with the new technology. This conference room is designed to facilitate video conferencing, and in the future it will be available to local businesses and residents who wish to use the technology.