Smart home technology is making a huge impact on the way we design our homes and the energy consumption. Smart home technology and home automation rely on the basic principle of preservation, an idea pre-programmed in our heads by our parents even before the smartphones and laptops were a part of our lives. The power plan you choose also has a role to play. Switch off the fan when you leave the room, don’t leave the lights on when you aren’t using them, or turn down the temperature if you are gone for the day. Basically, the less energy you consume, the more you will save on your electricity bills.
All of these tasks might sound simple, but you need to look at the details. Controlling your electricity usage manually through traditional methods like a conventional refrigerator, light switches, and thermostat are a good choice, but you may experience some human error while doing so.
Home Automation
Home automation is about combining convenience with technology.
The most important part of smart home technology is fully-integrated home automation. The ability to open an application on your mobile device and control various appliance at the touch of a screen is more than just convenient. This feature also offers massive energy saving in the palm of your hand.
Home automation allows your Wi-Fi enabled/smart gadgets that you use throughout the day like lights, television, thermostat, and surveillance cameras to work simultaneously under a single interface – your smartphone. What if you want to start your ceiling fan for your pet while you’re at work? No issue, with a home automation hub you can operate all the devices in your home from anywhere in the world.
If you have children who are regularly leaving the TV or lights on, smart remotes can be a lifesaver for you. Just one quick session through your app can shut down the TV and music system, switch off the lights, and even shut and lock the garage door for you. Using the best energy plan from your provider will not only help you save money on utility bills but also make your home a better place to live in many ways. To benefit from these little changes, you should seek out the right plan from your provider. If you live in Pennsylvania for example, you may be able to save money and conserve energy by switching to a new provider if you find a better deal by comparing electricity providers in Pennsylvania.
Save on Cooling and Heating
The biggest energy exhaustion in your budget is cooling and heating.
Keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter can cost you approximately 40 to 60 percent of your total energy quota. With figures like that, it is necessary for the smart technology industry to create smart gadgets for your home designed to save energy and money. If you are doing some remodelling or building an entirely new home, energy efficient HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system can be a huge energy saver. Even if you don’t wish to replace your current system, smart home appliances can save you money on cooling and heating.
The most economical and user-friendly device you can buy for your house is a smart thermostat. The latest generation of models come installed with Internet and Wi-Fi capabilities which permits the device to react to weather forecasts and adjust the inside temperature accordingly. Program the thermostat with your schedule so that it automatically adjusts to when it is needed. By modifying your heating and air conditioning to your usage habits, a smart thermostat can save you a large sum of money over the year.
A few electricity providers are collaborating with companies that produce smart thermostat to offer efficient electricity plans. Providers are of the view that smart thermostats will encourage energy efficiency resulting in lesser energy wastage and consumption ultimately translating into lower electricity bills.
Smart Lighting
Home lighting hubs have become phenomenally smart over the past couple of years. The smart LED bulbs are slightly more expensive than a CFL or a traditional incandescent bulb. But they only use 1/4th of the electricity and last up to 12 times longer than a regular bulb making them cost-efficient in the long run.
Smart bulbs come with features that let you schedule or control their functions with the help of a remote or your smartphone. Some light bulbs use geofencing, which functions with the GPS on your smartphone to detect your exact location and switch on or switch off the lights once you reach a certain mark.
Some bulbs swap colours to give you great mood lighting or even sync with the movie you’re watching to add to the theatricality. You can also connect your smart light bulbs with a home automation hub and control them with voice commands. Some smart bulbs can also be integrated with your thermostats, security systems, and other home appliances so that they can all work together. A smart light bulb can also be operated via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The way we control and use lighting is progressing rapidly and becoming a crucial part of an integrated smart home.
Life can get really easy if you can find a home that comes equipped with such advanced smart home devices. For example, you can see the Galleria Mall condos that comes fully furnished with the latest smart home equipments.
Smart home technology is a fun way to bridge the gap between controlling your home appliances using your smartphone or tablet and also saving money on your utility bill.
Author Bio: Arindam Paul is a founding member of Atomberg Technologies, a startup working towards manufacturing unique energy efficient fans and tech savvy products. He is currently heading the Marketing and Long term strategy division at Atomberg and is aiming to disrupt the world of household appliances. Connect with Arindam Paul on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter @arndm9832.
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