Smart Homes are Sustainable Homes

Smart homes are sustainable homes: Spearheading the energy efficiency revolution

‍Amid skyrocketing energy prices and fast-approaching net-zero carbon targets, we need new, powerful ways to reduce our power consumption. Enter the unsung hero of the energy efficiency revolution: smart home integration.

Small, considered changes can have a huge impact on the environment, according to the British Institute of Interior Design, and in 2023 homeowners are taking more interest than ever in boosting their home’s sustainability. As well they should, since smart, sustainable and reliable home design can have a huge impact on our overall environmental footprint, as well as unlocking cost savings. Smart homes provide unprecedented control over our energy consumption, and it’s not just a trend: at-home technology integration is fundamental to reaching our environmental goals.

‍Monitor, control, reduce

‍Improving energy efficiency starts with knowing where our power goes. Over the last three years, at-home smart meters have become commonplace, with their global value expected to reach GBP 53.43 billion by 2032, according to Precedence Research. While watching the figures on the smart meter might remind us to turn off lights in empty rooms, advanced, in-depth analytics can help to identify our most energy-intensive appliances and processes. They can also alert us to potential issues like leaks or faulty appliances, reducing costly waste and even helping to avoid fire and flood risks.

Once we understand our resource usage, we can better control it. Smart systems including plugs, lighting and thermostats can be timer automated or remotely managed – meaning no more leaving the light on.

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‍The green AI home

‍Intelligent control of home systems like lighting, heating, cooling and humidity can certainly make your home more inviting, but today’s technology can go a step further. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), your home systems could analyse internal and external conditions in real time and automatically respond.

For example, lighting, heating and blinds can be orchestrated together to optimise energy usage based on the weather and the time of day. Outdoors, sprinklers and lawn systems can be programmed to respond to climate conditions. An AI system could even analyse your daily routine and automatically optimise power use by providing energy only where it is needed, or use occupancy detectors to automatically power off a room when nobody is there.

And it’s not all lights and sprinklers. The systems that can be integrated to optimise energy and cost efficiency include heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), radiant flooring, forced air, dual fuel and geothermal. Integrating renewable energy systems, including solar panels and wind turbines, even offers homeowners the chance to generate their own sustainable energy and establish true energy independence. AI can make these systems even more effective, automatically optimising energy generation, storage and usage.

‍Change starts at home

‍The sustainable living revolution is a vital part of a greener future for everyone, and a well-designed, future-proofed smart home system will stand the test of time. To maximise the environmental and cost benefits, collaborating with an expert like Control4 is essential. So far, almost half a million homes worldwide have benefitted from Control4’s expertise to orchestrate a flexible, integrated smart home.

When we find ourselves wondering how we can make a difference to the planet, we need look no further than right at home. Smart solutions are prioritising sustainability in a transformative way, and as technologies like AI and machine learning continue to advance, the possibilities are only expanding. Smart homes provide us a glimpse of what is possible when sustainability is seamlessly integrated into daily life.