Smart Lighting Systems
While installing a smart lighting system does not come cheap, the amount of energy it saves is quite impressive. These systems can be programmed to turn the lights off once everyone leaves the room and turn them back on as somebody enters it again.
Not only that, but they also can be programmed to turn the lights on in some or all of the rooms a few minutes before you arrive at your home.
Additionally, you can even create a schedule according to which of your lights will turn on and off once you go on a vacation or any time you’re out of town so that your home still appears occupied.
This little trick is excellent at lowering the risks of burglaries or unlawful entries. Pair them up with energy-efficient LED light bulbs and you can save as much as $200 per year just on your lighting.
Smart Thermostats
By replacing your current thermostats with their smarter alternatives, you will not only save some money but also make your home more pleasant to live in.
These thermostats have the ability to learn and memorize your preferences and are even able to tell when the room is not being occupied.
They also share their knowledge with you — regarding the preferred temperature, the electricity used, etc. — which, in turn, allows you to be in full control of your heating and cooling habits.
They, too, can save you approximately $200 a year.
Smart Bathroom Fixtures
Technological advancements have made their way into our bathrooms as well. Being energy-efficient is not solely restricted to the use of electricity — water is also a finite resource we seem to be wasting on a daily basis.
However, by equipping our bathrooms with smart showers and efficient toilet tanks this wasteful behavior can easily be eradicated.
Dual-flush and low-flow toilets allow you to control the amount of water you use to flush, depending on the flushing needs, while a smart shower can track water usage, adjust the water temperature automatically and even control water flow depending on your needs.
Additional sustainable upgrades that you should consider implementing include bidet and faucet aerators. These do not cost much but they do make a significant difference.
To Recap
So, to finally answer the questions – yes, a smart home does equal an energy-efficient home, and no, one is not quite possible without the other.
Any smart home can instantly be considered energy-efficient because all of the technology implemented, more or less, has the same goal – to reduce the energy waste without compromising your comfort or lowering the quality of your life.
Therefore, embrace the power of modern technology, implement it in your home as soon as possible and enjoy the numerous benefits it is bound to bring.
