Greener Smart Homes
According to recent studies, one third of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions result from household energy consumption. The excessive release of this greenhouse gas can result in climate change which is why it’s a good idea to make your living environment as eco-friendly as possible. Smart home technology can help reduce your energy consumption and carbon footprint. So let’s find out how a green smart home can assist with climate change efforts.
How do Smart Home Affect the Environment?
If you love technology, the idea of a smart living space might be right up your street. From lighting to heating, audio to safety, you can control it all from a single interface. But did you know that interconnected smart devices can actually have a positive effect on the environment? Here’s how:
- Smart Lighting
Smart lighting can adjust automatically depending on how much natural light is in a room. This means you won’t be wasting electricity unnecessarily if the room is bright enough. Motion-sensor switches also detect when someone is in the room and can turn the lights off when there’s no moment. Again, this can result in up to a 45% reduction in energy consumption. Motion sensors can also be used to turn off the heating or AC when it’s not needed.
- Smart Thermostats
In order to make your property more efficient, it’s a good idea to switch to a heat pump or upgrade your boiler to a newer model. You can also invest in a smart thermostat. This learns patterns of behaviour and will only heat and cool your property as needed. It can also understand temperature and weather conditions, adjusting accordingly.
If you’re going to be late home, smart thermostats can be controlled via an app so that an empty house isn’t heated unnecessarily. Only turning the heating on or up as needed will reduce carbon emissions as well as your energy bills.
- Voice Assistants
Taking control of your energy consumption doesn’t have to be difficult. Voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home can be used to turn off lights, adjust thermostats and control appliances from anywhere in the house. With Control4, a multitude of devices can be linked and controlled via a universal remote control or a touchscreen panel. You can even create specific scenes such as low lighting and relaxing music at specific times of the day, so that you don’t forget to dim the lights and relax.
- Smart Window Treatments
Smart window treatments help to reduce the need for artificial lights. Everything from blinds, shades and drapes can open and close at specific times of the day in order to control the temperature and natural light in your home. Advanced systems also come with in-built sensors so that the blinds can open and close with accuracy.
Smart home specialists will help you decide which smart features you need and how they’ll reduce your carbon output. Smart home installers in Kent, such as New Wave AV, operate across the southeast and London – so get in touch today for a home assessment.
