Case Study
Ballantyne · Charlotte, NC
The Ballantyne New Build
A 16,000 sq ft new-construction estate designed from architectural schematics — invisible technology, Savant automation, Ketra tunable lighting, and comprehensive documentation delivered through a 5-phase design process.
Project Overview
The Ballantyne New Build represents the gold standard of pre-construction technology design: engagement from the earliest schematic phase, complete coordination with every design discipline, and a finished home where technology is genuinely invisible — no visible speakers, minimal keypads, concealed equipment, and a Savant system that operates every major subsystem.
Peters Audio Video produced complete technology schematics, infrastructure plans, and integration drawings that coordinated with the builder's MEP team, the millwork fabricator, and the interior design firm — including coordination with Emerald Oak Design on finish-sensitive hardware selections. Every conduit path, speaker location, equipment room, and control point was documented before the first wall was framed.
This level of pre-construction planning — the kind practiced by Charlotte's premier custom builders like Peters Custom Homes — eliminates the change orders, compromises, and coordination failures that plague projects where technology is added after architectural decisions are finalized. Luxury real estate advisors at Peters & Associates note that homes with this level of pre-construction technology planning consistently achieve stronger market positioning.
The 5-Phase Design Process
Phase 1 — Schematic Design
Technology concept, budget framework, system selection, and initial coordination with architect and builder
Phase 2 — Design Development
Detailed technology drawings, conduit plans, equipment locations, and coordination with MEP, millwork, and interior design
Phase 3 — Construction Documentation
Final infrastructure specifications, rough-in drawings, pull schedules, and low-voltage contractor coordination
Phase 4 — Construction Administration
On-site inspections, rough-in verification, equipment installation, and system commissioning
Phase 5 — Commissioning & Handover
System programming, calibration, user training, documentation delivery, and ongoing concierge support enrollment
Systems Designed & Integrated
Pre-Construction Technology Design
Complete technology schematics, infrastructure drawings, and coordination documents produced alongside architectural plans — enabling invisible integration from day one
Savant Invisible Automation
Whole-estate Savant platform controlling lighting, audio, shading, climate, security, and pool — operated through concealed touch panels, minimal keypads, and voice
Concealed Sonance Speaker Systems
Invisible Series speakers across 26 zones with plaster-over grilles that disappear completely into walls and ceilings
Lutron Ketra Tunable Lighting
38 zones of tunable-white and full-spectrum Ketra lighting with circadian scheduling, architectural keypads by Lutron Alisse, and daylight integration
Enterprise Networking — Ruckus WiFi 6E
12 access points with enterprise switching, segmented VLANs for IoT/AV/personal devices, and outdoor coverage across the full property
Full Technology Documentation Package
As-built drawings, system diagrams, programming documentation, user guides, and a maintenance schedule delivered at project completion
Private Cinema
Dedicated 11.4.6 Dolby Atmos theater with acoustic isolation, tiered seating for 14, Sony laser projection, and a separate HVAC zone
Perimeter Security
24-camera Axis system with AI analytics, LPR at gates, video intercom, biometric entry, and Savant-integrated automation responses
The Result
The completed estate operates as a unified environment where technology enhances every moment without being visible. The homeowners describe the experience as "the house just knows" — lights adjust automatically, music follows them between rooms, the theater deploys with a single touch, and security operates silently in the background.
The builder has since engaged Peters Audio Video on three additional projects, citing the documentation package and coordination process as the primary differentiator. When technology is designed alongside architecture — not bolted on afterward — the result is always superior.