In this article we present the main results obtained in the ARTEMIS-JU WSN-DPCM project between October 2011 and September 2015. The first objective of the project was the development of an integrated toolset for Wireless sensor networks (WSN) application planning, development, commissioning and maintenance, which aims to support application domain experts, with limited WSN expertise, to efficiently develop WSN applications from planning to lifetime maintenance. The toolset is made of three main tools: one for planning, one for application development and simulation (which can include hardware nodes), and one for network commissioning and lifetime maintenance. The tools are integrated in a single platform which promotes software reuse by automatically selecting suitable library components for application synthesis and the abstraction of the underlying architecture through the use of a middleware layer. The second objective of the project was to test the effectiveness of the toolset for the development of two case studies in different domains, one for detecting the occupancy state of parking lots and one for monitoring air concentration of harmful gasses near an industrial site.

The ability to deploy efficient and versatile WSN networks in the home environment is and will remain in the years to come a cornerstone objective in wireless networking. Respective services are continuously expanding requiring novel design and implementation approaches able to cover all relative present and even more importantly future requirements. This paper aims to present and convey knowledge and experience gained from such an effort in the context of home monitoring. Respective discussion covers all relative aspects and analyzes all critical challenges addressed ranging from identification and specification of the main requirements, to possible implementation approaches considered and finally the actual development undertaken. The final outcome considering the WSN home monitoring infrastructure as well as extracted knowledge and practical conclusions can be proven useful for further extending such an endeavour or even pursuing a different approach.