Cool Home Smart Technology That Can Save You Money
Cool Home Smart Technology That Can Save You Money
Looking to spruce up your home with technology? Then check out these tech trends from Matt Carter, a consultant and electronic systems contractor (ESC). An ESC is an individual or company specifically trained to provide design, integration, installation and field maintenance of low-voltage electronic systems for homes.
Energy Efficiency
This technology can help a homeowner to monitor energy consumption, control lighting, heating, cooling, security and other systems from a single integrated touchscreen.
Smart Transparency
Remember when having a big-screen TV meant having it dominate the room whether it was on or not? Today, large televisions can be installed so they go unnoticed when not in use. Pictured below is a pop-up ceiling lift that stows the TV into the ceiling when not in use. Speakers can be installed in the wall and audio and video equipment, housed in an electronics closet, can be controlled through a touchscreen. Image Source: NTX SA de CV, Naucalpan, Estado de Mexico, Mexico
Smart Safety
The Roost Smart Battery is a nifty $35 gadget plugs into any existing smoke or CO2 detector and makes it a smart device. Now, when your alarm goes off, it will alert you (and others) on your smartphone. From here you can either silence the alarm, in case a piece of burnt toast is to blame, or call 911. 
Smart Sustainability
Homes can now be equipped with a power management system that eliminates the use of standby power, which is said to account for about 5% of total US power consumption. With this system, “off” really means off. .
What would happen if you could see how much energy you were using throughout the day? In the project shown here, the house integrates renewable energy, energy conservation and home resource monitoring. A 12-kilowat photovoltaic system is the primary source of energy and sends electricity back to the local power grid during peak generation periods. It also uses a timer so that the hot water heater isn’t busy heating water in the middle of the night when it isn’t needed. Image Source: SoundVision, Novato, Calif.
Smart Accessibility
More and more, consumers are using real-time information that can be accessed from anywhere. This is now translating into the home with a fully integrated home system with access from an iPhone or wireless touchscreen panels. With just a few buttons, you can check the security cameras, adjust lighting or play music in several different zones throughout the home. Image Source: Chesapeake Smart Homes, Stevensville, Md.
Smart lighting systems and light bulbs
A well-lit home feels welcoming and warm, and great lighting can instantly increase the value of your home.
Annual lighting costs can account for up to 12% of your overall electric bill, or over $200 per year according to Energy Star. You can reduce this expense easily by using smart lighting technology to add efficiency.
The Philips Hue wifi-enabled lights are easy to add without installing special equipment. Lighting dimmers and sensors can give you control over energy consumption and allow you to turn lights on and off through your smart phone.
Control the warmth or coolness level of your lighting with the new smart light bulbs.. With the Lifx LED light bulbs, for instance, you can program your light bulbs to turn on or off when you want, to slowly wake you up with increasing illumination, or to change from daytime work lighting to entertainment-friendly shades for parties.