Smart Homes Save Time and Energy

Seydel’s Crestron system powers down the entire house each night with the touch of a button. Electricity to items he doesn’t use during the middle of the night, such as computers and televisions, is completely shut off, meaning that they no longer sit in “standby” mode, slowly sipping in electricity. Indoor temperature is monitored regularly, turning the heat on only as necessary. Choose a biometric door lock, such as this model by Kwikset, and your fingerprint is the only house key you’ll ever need. Media is often the first upgrade homeowners make. “You’ve got your MP3s and more and more digital video and your DVD collection and your DVR, which has your recorded TV shows,” Nicola says. “If you’re traveling, you can have access to that stuff. The best smart homes are a portal into your home.” Installing a full-home media system is easiest in new construction, Nicola says, because they all the components can be hard-wired. Wireless units do exist, he says, but hard-wired ones are much more reliable. Components include a multi-channel amplifier, a The Miele G 2002 La Perla Dishwasher senses the temperature outside the unit to determine the appropriate drying time and water temperature, thus saving time and energy. central server that stores all your media and, if you’re interested, a gaming system such as Xbox. All these components are usually kept out-of-sight, such as in a basement or dedicated and well-ventilated closet. Music, videos and games can then be accessed in any room that has speakers or a television. its own at the end of the cycle to help dry plastics. Miele’s refrigerators feature a RemoteVision system that uses the home’s wireless network to alert homeowners if a door was left unopened or a malfunction is compromising food quality. Home utility usage can be constantly monitored with the Agilewaves system, which works on the Crestron platform and delivers real-time utility consumption information. You can set an energy usage target, such as $100 a month for electricity, and Agilewaves can alert you when you near that threshold. Its Resource Monitor can then make adjustments that will keep you on budget, such as dimming the lights by 20 percent. Energy savings, convenience—not to mention the “wow” you’ll hear from your friends—are all reason enough to consider making your home a smart home.

...Continued - Page 2 of 2 ( 1 2 )
< Previous Page