Project Spotlight: SMUD Green Home
Between tax credits and lower power bills, increasing an existing home’s energy efficiency makes sense for homeowners. Automating and controlling different home systems like lighting and HVAC can contribute to a home’s overall efficiency. Unlike other automation systems, adding Control4 doesn’t require knocking holes in the wall or rewiring. Control4 dealer Hood Branco Innovations showcased the features of the Control4 system with its participation in the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Energy Efficient Remodel Demonstration (EERD) program.
Public and Private Partnerships
The SMUD demo home, located in Fair Oaks, California, was originally built in 1983 at a time when home codes were less stringent. SMUD partnered with local builders, Green Built, and Hood Branco Innovations to design a home that uses 60% less power than before the remodel. The remodel included things like upgraded insulation, high-efficiency HVAC, CFL and LED lighting, dual pane windows with E3 coating and Argon fill, solar photovoltaic, solar water heater, and automated shades and awnings.
The Control4 Difference
The Control4 system manages the remodeled home’s lighting and HVAC systems. Dimmers keep overall energy under control while Control4 system allows for management via the easy-to-use interface on the home’s television or the Control4 4Sight remote management program. With Control4, one button control is an option. For instance, a single button can shut off all the lights in a home or set the air conditioner at a higher temperature when you leave the home.
Hood Branco also programmed added features like notifying the homeowner if the garage door is left open. The system then allows the homeowner to close the garage door remotely, a great option if you’re already at work or on the way to the airport. Automating the shades and awnings also helps improve efficiency by lowering and raising shades and awnings during the hottest times of the day. With tens of thousands of homes facing the same efficiency issues, Hood Branco’s participation on the SMUD project is a perfect example of how Control4 can integrate seamlessly into existing homes and improve energy efficiency.
