New Russian Smart Home Standards Aim to End “Snake Nests” of Wiring in Apartment Buildings

Russia’s national standards agency, Rosstandart, has approved a series of new GOST standards for smart home technologies. The documents set requirements for devices, network infrastructure and information security in housing equipped with digital infrastructure.

New Rules for Smart Home Devices

The new standards comprehensively regulate the operation of key smart home systems. They define requirements for devices, their compatibility and the rules governing their operation within each building’s unified digital environment.

The set of documents includes standards for several types of equipment. These include requirements for IP video cameras, smart water and heat meters, motion and presence sensors, as well as IP intercom systems.

The documents define the technical parameters of devices along with rules for their operation and interaction. Manufacturers and system integrators will be able to use these guidelines when developing and deploying equipment for digitally connected apartment buildings.

“Snake Nests” Declared Out of Bounds

The package of documents also includes a standard describing how to operate a building’s digital infrastructure. It sets rules for managing engineering systems, transferring technical documentation and defining requirements for maintenance personnel.

Special attention is given to peripheral devices and cabling. The industry has also updated a standard regulating the creation of structured cabling systems in buildings and setting technical requirements for such infrastructure. Tangled bundles of exposed wires — colloquially known as “snake nests” in Russian apartment entrances — are no longer acceptable under the new rules.

Secure Networks

Part of the new standards focuses on smart home cybersecurity. These documents outline requirements for the reliability of devices and services as well as the protection of equipment connection interfaces.

The rules govern the security of end devices and the digital environment of apartment buildings. The standards also address situations where certain devices lack built-in security mechanisms.

Implementation Is Next

The next stage involves introducing the standards across the industry. Equipment manufacturers and integrators will apply the new requirements when developing digital systems for residential buildings.

The documents were developed by the Cyber-Physical Systems technical committee. The standards align with Russia’s program for developing digital infrastructure in apartment buildings through 2030. The new regulations are expected to come into force no later than June 30, 2026.