Smart homes have become increasingly popular due to their convenience, comfort, and security benefits. However, one of the most significant advantages of having a smart home is that it can help you save money while making it more energy-efficient. Below, we'll dive into the world of smart homes and explain how they can help you save money and run a more energy-efficient household.
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What is a Smart Home?
Before we dive into the benefits of a smart home, it's essential to understand what it is. A smart home uses technology that can automate and control various systems, such as lighting, heating, cooling, and security. You can manage these systems using mobile apps, voice commands, or smart home devices like speakers or hubs. The primary goal of a smart home is to simplify your life and make your home more efficient.
Saving With Automation
One of the primary benefits of a smart home is the ability to automate systems within your home. In addition, automation can help you save money by reducing energy consumption and appliance wear and tear.
- Smart thermostat: A smart thermostat can learn your habits and adjust the temperature based on whether you're home or away. For example, on a hot summer's day, the smart thermostat will turn off or lower your AC once you leave home and reboot when you return. With this device, you'll save money on your energy bills by reducing unnecessary heating or cooling.
- Smart lights: Similarly, you can automate smart lighting to turn off whenever you're not in a room or turn on when you enter. Automating your lighting will help reduce the energy consumed throughout the home.
- Smart leak sensors: According to the EPA, household leaks account for roughly 1 trillion gallons of wasted water yearly. A smart leak sensor around areas prone to leaks, like underneath your sink, around your washing machine, and beneath your toilet, is a great way to address the leak immediately and prevent wasting water.
- Smart plugs: Were you aware that your devices and appliances use electricity even when unused? This phenomenon is also known as vampire energy. Smart plugs and power strips are great options to cut down on vampire energy. You can program the plug to shut off once your device stops charging or when you quit using the appliance.
Making a Home Energy Efficient
Other ways besides automation can make your home more energy efficient.
- Energy monitoring: Smart homes can monitor your energy usage and identify where you can reduce energy consumption. For example, smart plugs can monitor appliances' energy usage and identify those that consume more energy.
- Renewable energy: Smart homes can integrate renewable energy sources like solar panels to reduce your reliance on the grid's energy. Solar panels are easy to control and monitor in a smart home. They can save a lot on your energy bill while reducing your carbon footprint.
- Efficient appliances: Smart homes can integrate with efficient appliances, such as energy star-rated appliances, to reduce your energy consumption. For example, a smart dishwasher can determine the most energy-efficient cycle based on the load and adjust it accordingly.
Benefits and Limitations
There are both advantages and drawbacks to smart homes.
Benefits
Smart homes offer numerous benefits, including convenience, safety, and energy cost savings. With a smart home, homeowners can remotely control their systems, monitor energy consumption, and detect unusual activities at home. This feature enhances the safety and security of the house.
Smart homes also come with voice-activated assistants such as Amazon's Alexa and Google Home, making it easy to control home systems hands-free. In addition, voice commands enhance convenience, particularly for people with mobility issues.
Limitations
While smart homes can provide numerous benefits, they also have some limitations. The primary drawback is the initial cost of setting up a smart home. Typically, the expense can be high, depending on the level of automation you desire. However, the long-term savings can offset the initial cost in the long run.
Another limitation is the need for a stable and reliable internet connection. Smart homes rely on the internet to communicate with devices, and a weak or unstable internet connection can affect the functionality of your smart home. Therefore, if you get a smart home, ensure you have a reliable internet connection.
Takeaway
A smart home can help you save money and make your home more energy-efficient. Automation can help you reduce energy consumption, and monitoring can help you identify areas where you can reduce your energy usage. While smart homes have some limitations, the benefits of a smart home are undeniable. A smart home is an excellent investment to make your home more efficient and save money in the long run.
3 MIN. READ
What time of day does a home or business use the most power? You can help property owners and managers maximize their buildings' efficiency with smart technology and a little extra planning.
Executive summary
Peak-hour electricity prices are much higher than those during off-peak hours. Your clients can leverage electric usage monitoring technology to control their energy usage and take advantage of this rate disparity. In the process, they save money and reduce power consumption.
Timing is the key to electricity rates
Various factors affect electricity rates, but supply and demand are the most important. When demand is high, prices go up. When demand is low, prices go down. Electricity rates vary throughout the day, so limiting peak-hour usage and scheduling tasks during low-rate hours makes sense.
Install an in-home electricity usage monitor
The best way for your client to control the timing of energy usage in their homes is with a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats connect to the internet and are programmable by Wi-Fi. They use intelligent algorithms to "learn" your clients' preferences over time to schedule for maximum efficiency. And unlike simple programmable thermostats, they automate usage scheduling and are easy to use.
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Smart thermostats track energy usage and scheduling information and store user data, including preferred temperature and HVAC system metrics. They operate like a thermostat combined with a computer or smartphone and can be configured to send maintenance reminder notifications to the HVAC contractor.
Most utilities encourage smart thermostats to help manage demand in their service areas. Some offer rebates for homeowners who purchase and install smart thermostats. You and your client should check the availability of this added benefit in your area.
Commercial building automation with an electricity usage monitor
An electricity usage monitor is a vital component of a forward-looking business. It's also a key part of a building automation system (BAS) in commercial and industrial buildings. A BAS is a comprehensive system that manages and controls HVAC and other operational functions like lighting in a large structure such as an office tower or factory. They monitor and automate all HVAC functions, including electric usage monitoring.
In addition to a centralized control and monitoring station, a BAS deploys a network of computerized sensors that remotely monitor systems and control points and track relevant metrics. In addition, they monitor and analyze numerous indoor and outdoor climate statistics to assemble a complete picture of all climate conditions in real-time.
Energy efficiency and cost management are the end goals of a BAS, and timing energy usage to correspond with lower cost, non-peak electricity rates is a critical piece. While much more complex than a smart thermostat, the objective of lowering power usage and cost through intelligent scheduling is a shared one.
Harness processing power to optimize HVAC
A building automation system (BAS) may include a range of capabilities, but electric usage monitoring is a primary function. Like smart thermostats, a BAS uses computer processing power and network connectivity to monitor, manage, and automate HVAC energy usage.
Since HVAC systems account for a large percentage of the power used in a commercial building, energy efficiency is vital. A BAS can optimize an HVAC system for maximum efficiency and enable adjustments on the fly to control usage and lower costs.
It can automate most building processes and allow for manual adjustments when needed. An essential part of this automation is collecting and storing performance and cost data. This data provides the inputs for the processing and algorithms that control usage and scheduling.
High-performance buildings are complex and depend on high-quality building automation systems to run well. Conditions both inside and outside the building must be accounted for.
For example, a well-designed BAS can use stored system data to calculate the best time for HVAC start-up functions based on electricity rates and time of day. A BAS also harnesses processing power to regulate the usage of outside air and optimize enthalpy inside the building.
Help your clients increase efficiency and save money
Whether with a smart thermostat in a home or a building automation system in a commercial building, electric usage monitoring can help all of your clients optimize their energy consumption.
As an HVAC contractor, you have powerful tools to help your clients become more efficient and reduce costs. Supply chain management and purchasing savings of equipment, parts, and supplies at deep discounts with Raiven Marketplace &#; including equipment for electric usage monitoring, saves your client money and your business.
Raiven Can Help
Raiven serves HVAC contractors with the lowest prices on equipment, parts, and maintenance supplies as well as a purchasing platform that makes buying fast and efficient. Key benefits include:
- Pre-negotiated discounts of 7-25%+ from big name suppliers like Carrier, Ferguson, Grainger, Graybar, and more.
- Supply chain alerts for price and product availability changes on the items that matter to you most.
- Private marketplace houses all your preferred suppliers in one location for easy access to your discounts. No more bouncing around websites comparing prices.
- AI-powered purchasing tools that find the lowest prices even when employees shop outside your preferred suppliers.
Raiven is your one stop to save time and money. Visit Raiven to learn what we can do for you.
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