In today's environmentally conscious age, it’s great to see that our homes can actually play a part in helping to make a positive change to the environment through the use of smart home technology.
It’s without question that the rise of smart home technology from solar panels to smart thermostats is paving the way for a cleaner environment via increased energy efficiency. What's more, there's also financial benefits such as energy savings for our bank accounts!
But when it comes to these energy friendly options to outfit your home with, the options can be overwhelming! After all there's a wide range of smart home technology available from solar panels to smart thermostats, so which deliver the most benefits?
Below you can find options to make your home smarter and your wallet a bit heavier:
Solar Panels
The Solar Energy Industries Association estimates that currently the US produces enough solar energy to power over 12.3 million homes. That’s an incredible number and just imagine how much we could power if every house came with a solar panel as standard.
Certain states are actually getting fully onboard with environmentally helpful home technology with California requiring that all new homes built from 2020 be fitted with solar panels.
While many may not like the look of solar panel roofs and think they are unsightly, many companies are trailblazing new solutions to this such as solar tiles which look just like regular tiles.
Your real life savings from solar panels may vary dependent on the amount of sun however its estimated that solar savings from installing solar panels come to $1,401 a year - Not bad!
Thermostats
If you currently find yourself with a standard thermostat you may find your mind blown at just what smart home thermostats can do.
Smart home thermostat technology is game changing allowing us to remotely control the temperature of our homes so they are the perfect temperature for when we step through the door. They even can tell when we’re away from the house putting themselves into eco modes and using less energy than normal.
With many of them also offering temperature sensors through your home you can have complete control on different temperature levels in each room. Do you find yourself staying in your living room when its cold? Simply chose to heat your living room up and leave the upstairs cold!
So how much can these nifty thermostats save you? According to a recent study from Crescent Electric, it’s estimated that a smart home thermostat can save you an average of $232 to $439 per year dependent on your state.
Light bulbs
I know what you’re thinking - how are lightbulbs smart home technology?
Well you may be amazed to find that there’s lightbulbs out there which you can control with your voice! They also can be programmed to dim their lumens so you can dim your lights at will saving you energy and money.
It looks like smart home tech is here to stay and It’s good to know that there are options out there to not only help the environment but also to help our own bank accounts with savings.
