In the rapidly evolving landscape of modern living, the integration of smart home technology has become synonymous with convenience, efficiency, and security. There are an estimated 2.22 million smart homes in the UK. A survey last October found that 57% of homes now contain a smart device. More than 1 in 6 of us control our smart devices from outside our home daily. In this blog, we explore the benefits of smart home technology and unveil the top ten applications that can elevate your home to new heights of intelligence.
Benefits of Smart Home Technology
Energy Efficiency
Smart solutions enable you to monitor and control your home’s energy usage efficiently and from anywhere in the world. Smart thermostats, automated window coverings, and energy-efficient windows collaborate to create an eco-friendly environment, resulting in lower energy bills.
Security Reinvented
Bolster the security of your home with smart windows and doors, integrated with advanced security systems. Smart locks, surveillance cameras, and motion detectors can be easily controlled and monitored through your smartphone, providing real-time updates and peace of mind.
Convenient Automation
Simplify your daily routine with the automation of various tasks. With smart lighting and appliance control, your home becomes an intuitive, self-regulating ecosystem. They make your home look occupied when it is not and optimise energy usage.
Integration with Voice Assistants
Seamlessly connect your appliances with popular voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Control your home environment with simple voice commands, adding an extra layer of accessibility.
Top Ten Smart Home Applications
Smart Lighting
Illuminate your home intelligently with smart lighting systems that adapt to your preferences, enhance ambience, and contribute to energy savings. Companies like Kasa provide plugs, extension cables and bulbs that can be controlled via their mobile phone app. These are a great way of making your home look occupied even when it is not and create a more comfortable, welcoming ambience. Practically it also means that you can turn upstairs lights on before you go upstairs, reducing the likelihood of you lighting rooms or floors when they are not occupied.
Thermostat Control
Optimize your home’s temperature with smart thermostats, learning your habits to create a comfortable environment while reducing energy consumption. According to the Energy Saving Trust, turning your thermostat down by just one degree can cut bills by about £145 a year, which is around 4-5%. Smart thermostats controlled by mobile phone apps also mean that you can turn the temperature down when you are out of the home and turn it back up before you return.
Automated Window Coverings/blinds
Automated blinds or curtains, allow you to control natural light and privacy effortlessly. You can ensure they are up when the sun is shining to benefit from any solar gain and down to reduce heat loss when it is dark or cloudy.
Smart Security Systems
Fortify your home with smart security cameras, doorbell cameras, and motion sensors that keep you connected and protected, even when you’re away. The level of sophistication of even self-installed systems has increased significantly in recent years and most are compatible with some form of mobile app.
Smart Locks and Sensors
Upgrade your home’s security with smart locks and sensors that allow you to monitor and in some cases control access remotely. Never again will you leave home, lock the door, and wonder two minutes later whether you had locked your windows or doors. Glevum is due to launch a range of Smart Doors and Windows which will allow you to monitor if they are closed, open and even locked, via the associated Smart App. This offers real-time monitoring, will alert you if you leave any door or window unlocked and gives you a history of when any doors or windows have been locked or unlocked.
Smart Home Hubs
Centralise control with a smart home hub that acts as a command centre, facilitating communication between various smart devices. These can also divert traffic off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, easing network congestion. With all the smart home devices connected in the home, users can also remotely access the various systems and control them while away from home with their smart home app.
Voice-Activated Assistants
Integrate voice-activated assistants with your smart devices for hands-free control of your smart home devices, enhancing accessibility and convenience. Alexa it is estimated is used in 46% of UK homes but Siri (Apple) and Google Assistant are also popular.
Smart Appliances
From refrigerators to ovens, smart appliances offer enhanced functionality and efficiency, providing you with a more connected and streamlined kitchen. Fridges can allow you to literally see what is inside from your mobile phone, monitor the use by dates and even make recipe suggestions based on the contents. How smart is your fridge?
Smart Home Entertainment
Create an immersive entertainment experience with smart TVs, speakers, and home theatre systems that can be seamlessly integrated into your smart home ecosystem. This can also include access via multiple devices to any playlist you might subscribe to.
Environmental Monitoring within the home
Keep tabs on your home’s air quality, humidity, and other environmental factors with smart sensors, which lets you take action to ensure a healthy and comfortable living space. This can be particularly useful for people suffering from certain health conditions.
For those of us old enough to remember the TV programme, this may sound a bit “Tomorrow’s World”, but smart home technology is here today, and it is just a matter of to what extent we want to fully utilise this ourselves. If you would like to be notified of when Glevum Smart Doors and Windows are available, please contact Glevum on 0800 332255 or contact Glevum via their website at www.glevum.co.uk and you will be sent details.