Want to Go Green? Automate your Home!
You can save energy and green your home using home automation.
Home automation technology is becoming as synonymous with
sustainability as it is with convenience. Incorporating smart home technology
into a new or existing structure makes it easier to reduce energy consumption
and the carbon footprint (your impact on the environment) a home or business
creates. Why go green? Our actions over the last 50 years, such as the burning
of fossil fuels and deforestation, have led to increased greenhouse gasses (like
carbon dioxide emissions and methane) which in turn cause global warming.
Environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility, so do your part by
making simple changes that not only help the earth, but will also save you money
and add convenience to your home. With many new easy to install home automation
products readily available, it’s now simpler than ever to automate your home and
go green at the same time!
There are countless uncomplicated ways you can automate and green
your home simultaneously. In addition to utilizing energy efficient lighting
(like compact fluorescent light bulbs and LEDs), Energy Star appliances and
alternative energy sources (which at this time are still cost-prohibitive), you
can integrate
energy-saving smart lighting controls, power controllers that turn
appliances off automatically and
programmable climate control systems.
Automated irrigation systems and automatic faucets can help you reduce your
water usage, too. Many of these simple solutions are very affordable, so you
won’t break the bank in the process. Plus, the money you’ll save on your energy
bills will help offset the costs to automate your home.
Now, you know you need to turn appliances and electronics off to
save energy, but did you know that once you turn them off, they are still using
electricity? That’s right – many items in your home continue to draw energy even
after they are shut down – items like your computer and its peripherals, your
television, stereo, microwave and stove. These items go into standby mode once
switched off and create what’s known as a “phantom load” which can add up to 8%
to your electricity bill. Luckily, there’s an easy way to eliminate phantom
loads – the
Smart Strip power strip. The Smart Strip automatically detects when you have
turned an item off and completely cuts power to a device so it stops drawing
electricity and provides surge protection.
Another effortless way to green your home is to take control of
your energy consumption by finding out exactly how much you’re using. Armed with
tools like the
Kill-A-Watt and the
PowerCost Monitor, you can measure how much electricity an item uses, or
find out how much electricity you’re whole household uses. Many electricity
companies offer lower rates during off-peak hours, such as nights and weekends.
Using appliances like washers, dryers, air conditioners and dishwashers during
these off-peak hours can lead to substantial savings on your electricity bill,
and you can use the PowerCost Monitor to confirm this. It can be programmed to
reflect two rates—one for off-peak periods and one for peak periods—so you know
how much money you’re spending on electricity at any given time. Once you
determine these facts, you can reduce usage or replace energy hogs with more
efficient items. These real-time energy usage meters will help you understand
your habits and can get you to become more efficient with your energy
consumption needs.
If you want to make a simple, quick change right now that will
lighten the load on the earth and save you money, you can focus on just one
thing: lighting. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 19% of
global electricity generation is taken for lighting. A worldwide switch to
efficient lighting systems would reduce the world’s electricity bill by one
tenth, reports the IEA. So do something simple and make the change to compact
fluorescent light bulbs, then take it one step further and add tools to help you
reduce your electricity consumption even more. Turning off lights is an obvious
way to reduce our energy consumption, yet we still forget to do it, so why not
install an occupancy sensor, which means you’ll never have to remember to turn off the lights again. Occupancy sensors can be equipped with passive infrared and photocells which
detect movement and will turn off if there is adequate natural light available.
When you’re ready to take the next steps towards automating and
greening your home, check out our line of
Z-Wave starter kits, modules and whole-house systems. Z-Wave is an
affordable home control system that connects your home electronics (appliances,
lighting, climate control, security systems and more) into an integrated
wireless network, allowing you to control these items with a remote control,
with your PC, from the Internet and with your cell phone. Z-Wave systems are
plug-and-play and wireless, so you don’t have to deal with any timely or costly
installation, and they’re modular too, so you can add or remove as your needs
require. With items as easy to use as the Sylvania Z-Wave Starter Kit, you can begin automating and greening your home today!
Now that you know how simple it is to go green by automating your
home, take a look at our full line of energy saving smart home automation
products to get started. We’re here to offer you full support and answer any
questions you may have along the way!