Are you planning to move into a high-tech home or make any green upgrades this year?
Environmental awareness is greater than ever before, while DIY sales have boomed as people tried out home improvements for the first time in lockdown. Combined with society’s rapid digital transformation, our properties are becoming ever more sophisticated.
Take the rise of smart home technology, which connects devices and automates common household tasks like providing meter readings and adjusting thermostats. This kind of functionality can reduce a property’s environmental impact, add to its value, and might even lower your energy quote when it’s time to switch.
So, what innovations can we expect to see and hear more of in 2021?
Energy storage
Where we get our heating from is changing too. Gas boilers will be banned from all new builds in a little over a decade, with various low carbon options already emerging in their place.
Electric storage heaters are one such alternative. They’re designed to charge up overnight when energy is cheapest and easier to come by, then provide heating when demand is traditionally higher.
Better connectivity
You’ve probably heard that 5G is on its way – but did you know it could benefit the environment?
By providing greater speeds and capacity once rolled out, 5G will enable smart home devices to work together more efficiently and reduce energy usage and emissions even further.
Combined with faster Wi-Fi and better smart home controls, the future looks bright for home connectivity.
Smart meters
Smart meters are nothing new, having been promoted and widely used for several years now. But 2021 is their time to truly shine. The government is aiming to have them fitted in all UK homes and small businesses by the end of June.
Tracking energy use in real time with a smart meter can help you save money, reduce carbon emissions and get more accurate energy bills.
Smart grid technology
Smart home technology isn’t just about convenience and reducing energy use on an individual basis.
On a larger scale, the financial and environmental savings are significant. But it also has the potential to reduce pressure and reliance on the National Grid as connected homes work together to use energy more efficiently.
Smart bulbs
We all need light in our homes, even more so considering the number of people now working remotely. But since the vast majority of the energy a traditional lightbulb uses is lost as heat, smart lightbulbs are a far greener alternative.
Most importantly, smart bulb manufacturers are using LED technology to drastically reduce energy use. But they offer lots more potential too, like the ability to control brightness from your phone – and even turn them on by voice command.
Will you be making any of these smart upgrades to your home?
