As technology continues to improve and new, more sustainable products are becoming widely available, the rise in smart home installations continues to grow at speed.
There are many contributing factors to the increase in growth of the market sector:
- Covid-19
Boosted by the lifestyle changes we all had to make in March 2020, smart home installations saw a major increase between March 2020 and March 2021. As people were locked down and living their lives at home, they’ve had more time to think about how their home works and how it could be more sustainable.
56% of people would buy a smart home device to live more sustainably. In fact, the TP-Link Kasa Mini is a smart plug that monitors the energy usage of the appliance it’s plugged into and 83% of consumers interested in smart plugs would buy a smart home device too.
Following on from the lockdown days and the changes to working environments, many people are choosing to work from home on a long term basis. This has had a knock-on effect because people are installing smart devices to a) reduce their energy bills and b) are more aware of the damage to the environment from their homes.
- Public awareness of environmental damage
There has, for many years, been growing concern about the impact of fossil fuel usage on the planet. But it has gathered momentum over the last 2 years, which has shone the spotlight on World Leaders at the COP-26 conference in Glasgow this year to make SMART pledges – specific, manageable, achievable, realistic and time-sensitive policies in order to collectively reduce carbon emission.
Reducing carbon emissions is a major focus for every Government and is highlighted in the news pretty much every day. As a result of this, people are more open to making changes to their homes and lifestyles, for the greater good of the planet.
- Convenience
Let’s face it, smart home appliances actually make your life easier! Appliances can be activated by a smartphone or voice-activated and can be linked together. As an example, to create a cosy atmosphere in your lounge, you can ask your smart hub to draw the curtains, turn on the television, raise the temperature on the thermostat slightly and dim the lights!
Imagine going out and forgetting to turn the lights out? Without a smart appliance, you have 2 options – either drive back home and turn them off or burn a whole heap of energy keeping them on all day! With a smartphone, you’ll be able to turn them off from wherever you are!
- Technology
Advancements in technology have made it possible to make ones’ life easier, save energy and money. The technology in the first smart devices will continue to improve to increase the range of smart home installations in the coming years. In fact, by 2025, the installation of gas boilers in new build homes will become illegal and as a result of that, the homes of the future will inevitably become more sustainable with energy-saving appliances built-in as standard.
Examples of smart home installations
One of the most well-known smart appliances is Alexa – Amazon’s voice-activated device that will play music, find you something on google, can switch on your TV, dim your lights, in fact, pretty much anything you want, provided that you’ve set it up to action your demands.
Smart light bulbs are not only energy-efficient but they can be turned on and off using a smartphone or voice-activated.
Televisions are voice-activated and can sense when you enter or leave the room. They can turn themselves on or off to conserve energy when you’re not watching them.
Video doorbells, home security cameras, smart thermostats, locks and smart plugs are just some of the smart devices that have seen significant growth over the past year.
We are Meko Electrical – a family run firm, based in Stroud providing expert electrical advice and services in the South West since 2009. If you need any advice about smart home installations or anything electrical, contact us on 01453 764 531 or take a look at our website www.mekoelectrical.co.uk