Case Study: A Retrofit of “Historical” Proportions Enabled by Kordz Connectivity in Australia

July 06, 2026 Case Study: A Retrofit of “Historical” Proportions Enabled by Kordz Connectivity in Australia

Wired By MJD used Kordz Cat6A network cabling, HDMI connectivity, KNX control cabling and speaker cable to upgrade the technology infrastructure of a 4,500-square-metre luxury Victorian residence in Melbourne, Australia. The Kordz solution helped support long cable runs of up to 80 metres, reduce installation friction, improve commissioning reliability and create a future-ready backbone for lighting, AV, automation, climate, security and networking systems.

Introduction

Six years after completing the original smart home installation of a 16-room, 4,500-square-metre Victorian mansion in Melbourne, Michael Daly and his team at Wired By MJD were invited back to one of their most significant residential projects to support an extensive architectural and technology renovation. The homeowners wanted more than a cosmetic refresh for their grand Great Room. Their vision included a dramatic redesign of a 23-by-13-metre multi-purpose living space, featuring intricate wall treatments, bespoke joinery and architectural details. To this spacious and elegant room, Wired By MJD would curate and discreetly integrate a diverse array of technologies, including an extensive 30-circuit architectural lighting system, distributed audio for background and surround-sound listening, a custom soundbar for an existing 85-inch display, intuitive lighting and climate controls, and seamless Wi-Fi connectivity.  

By standardising on Kordz connectivity throughout the project, Wired By MJD successfully modernised the technology backbone of the Great Room and beyond, overcoming the challenges of a large-scale retrofit while creating a reliable, future-ready foundation that enables every connected system to perform at its full potential. 

The Project : A Room Reno of Radical Proportions

Unlike many retrofit projects that focus primarily on replacing equipment, this renovation involved a comprehensive reimagining of both the home’s architecture and technology infrastructure. 

Because the original installation was completed before Cat6A became a widely adopted standard, the renovation presented an ideal opportunity to modernise the home’s technology backbone. Kordz Cat6A Network Cabling was deployed throughout the residence and Great Room, complemented by Kordz HDMI connectivity for long-distance AV distribution, Kordz speaker cable for premium audio performance, and KNX control cabling for lighting and automation. Additional prewire pathways were strategically incorporated to accommodate future expansion, creating a robust infrastructure capable of supporting the home’s evolving technology needs for years to come. 

“”This project was as much about future-readiness as it was about renovation. Wherever we could run new cabling, we did. We also installed additional prewire runs to support whatever technologies the homeowners may want to add down the road.”  

– Michael Daly, Wired By MJD owner

Today, the upgraded Kordz backbone supports a sophisticated blend of best-in-class products and systems, including KNX and DALI lighting control managing approximately 30 lighting circuits; James by Sonance small aperture speakers and PowerPipe subwoofers delivering both distributed audio and immersive surround sound; a custom MAG Theatron Uni-Bar soundbar engineered specifically for the existing 85-inch display; and a motorised TV mount that optimises viewing angles throughout the expansive space. It also provides the foundation for an ELAN by Nice control system, which unifies the operation of lighting, blinds, audio-visual systems, climate, security, electronic locks and CCTV into a single intuitive platform, while integrating four separate HVAC systems to deliver seamless comfort, convenience and energy efficiency throughout the home.

By ensuring reliable communication across these diverse technologies, the Kordz infrastructure enables every system to perform exactly as intended, creating a cohesive experience that feels effortless for the homeowner. 

Challenges: Navigating Long Distances and Structural Obstacles 

Retrofitting a cabling infrastructure into an existing luxury residence is rarely straightforward. Wired By MJD had to work within the constraints of existing architecture, limited access points and finished surfaces, as well as plans from the architect and interior designer.  The pure scale of the residence compounded these challenges. Multiple roof spaces separated rooms, making cable routing significantly more complex than a typical residential installation. In many cases, pulling a single cable required technicians positioned throughout different sections of the home to guide the cable from one space to another. With the central equipment rack located at one end of the home, cable runs to technology endpoints in expansive Great Room extended as far as 80 metres. 

The project also demanded absolute reliability. Long-distance network runs, AV distribution and KNX lighting control all required an infrastructure capable of maintaining the consistent performance the homeowner expected without introducing faults or signal integrity issues. 

Solution: Achieving Installation Efficiency and Peak System Performance with Kordz 

Having relied on Kordz products on numerous projects in the past, Daly knew the brand would provide the ideal foundation for this ambitious project. Behind the walls and ceiling, the robust, standards-compliant technology backbone incorporates Kordz ONE Cat6A network cabling, along with matching keystones and patch cords for the home’s data systems. Wired By MJD complemented this with a network of Kordz HDMI, KNX and speaker cabling to support the newly integrated AV, lighting and control systems. The result is a room that evokes the ease and ambience of a luxury hotel. 

For a project defined by difficult cable pathways and extended distances, the physical design of the selection of Kordz cabling delivered significant advantages during installation. “I particularly like the jacket on the Kordz cabling,” says Daly. “It’s smooth and robust and around runs it glides through. It doesn’t get caught.” Thanks to the reduced friction and integrator-friendly handling characteristics, Wired By MJD was able to easily navigate complex pathways throughout the residence and route cabling more efficiently through walls, ceilings and roof spaces, streamlining what was already a highly demanding retrofit. 

Attention was also given to rack presentation by selecting black Kordz SlimCat Cat6A Patch Cords to maintain a clean, organised appearance that complemented the premium nature of the installation. 

Beyond installation efficiency, reliability was a key consideration. “We kept the keystones and patch cords consistent from start to finish,” says Daly. “Reliability is really important to the customer, so it was a no-brainer to choose Kordz.” 

Photo credit: Wired By MJD

Results: Bringing Out the Best in Premium Products & the Client Experience 

Supported by a professionally installed Kordz infrastructure, the home’s networking, AV, lighting control and automation systems perform reliably across long cable distances and throughout the expansive property. The upgraded Cat6A backbone provides additional bandwidth and headroom to support future technologies while optimisng the performance of today’s premium devices. 

Perhaps most importantly, the infrastructure performed exactly as intended during commissioning. “We had next to no faults on the system,” recalls Daly. “For a project involving long cable runs, complex routing pathways and a diverse collection of integrated technologies, this level of reliability significantly reduced commissioning time and reinforced our confidence in the overall system design.” 

The project also reaffirmed why Kordz remains the cabling brand of choice for many professional integrators, including Wired By MJD. Its integrator-focused design simplifies challenging installations, while its standards-compliant performance helps ensure that premium smart home technologies can deliver the experience they were designed to provide. 

More than simply connecting devices, the Kordz infrastructure enabled the integration team to execute a complex retrofit with confidence. From simplifying installation to supporting the demands of a modern, luxury smart home, Kordz proved once again why it is the integrator’s choice for professional-grade connectivity. 

To discover more about Kordz’ line of professional grade connectivity products, designed to be robust, fast and effective, check out our range.

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