Sustainable housing and home automation for energy efficiency

Discover how home automation is key to maintaining a sustainable home and also maintaining energy efficiency.

Withfor

30 December 2020 |

If this year 2020 has taught us anything, it is that domestic spaces are the most important. Many people have rediscovered that spending more time at home means having more comfortable areas, with better distribution and with elements that provide greater satisfaction for all members of the family.

Having an intelligent house that uses tools such as home automation is a decision that brings not only personal benefits, but also collective ones and helps to make society aware of sustainability and the environment.

At Withfor, a real estate agency in Barcelona, this is an issue that makes us aware and to which we are 100% committed. We want all our clients who want to get involved in creating, as we do, a future oriented towards sustainable housing, betting on modifications such as the use of intelligent devices.

 

What is sustainable housing?

The technological development that has been achieved by mankind has brought great advantages, but realistically, it has also brought not so pleasant consequences. The aim of sustainability is to reduce the negative environmental consequences of certain types of construction.

When developing sustainable buildings, the aim is also to optimise natural resources. In this way, the construction of houses with “sustainable materials”, the use of solar panels, etc. better conserves energy and reduces carbon emissions. With all this, the aim is to reduce the impact of pollution in the long term.

 

All about home automation. What is it and what is it for?

In line with sustainability, the concept of home automation arises. A home automation system is one that is programmed and automated to manage a series of functions that contribute to and facilitate the operation of devices and everything that lives together in the home. All this, applied from the remote and wireless.

The main objective of home automation is to provide comfort, well-being and security to all members of the family. Here, family habits and routines are merged with the system of lights, heating, locks, air conditioning and irrigation systems, among others, to contribute directly to energy saving and ecology.

 

Advantages of sustainable houses and home automation

So, a home created with a sustainable conscience will probably make use of home automation systems. The benefits include:

  • A great contribution to the domestic economy. Applying saving policies guarantees almost 70% reduction in energy consumption.
  • Security guaranteed by intelligent alarms for houses that detect fires, intruders, gas leaks or water leaks. Also voice recognition.
  • A great ally that facilitates daily tasks and leaves more free time for the family to share. For example, it is possible to use home automation to turn off the heating or air conditioning if someone opens the windows, and it also serves to automatically turn on the alarm and send warnings to both the police and the owner when leaving the house.
  • It allows you to take control of your home and avoid chaos. Comfort is guaranteed with lighting and heating systems that are in tune with needs. In addition, for maximum comfort you can use the programming of aroma diffusers or musical backgrounds.
  • It allows multiple users to access the system, which allows each member of the family to contribute to the way the home works.

Is it feasible to have energy efficiency in my home thanks to home automation?

The answer is a resounding yes. Applying a reliable ecosystem optimizes the resources within the home. In addition, it provides monthly reports of costs and consumption, which makes you aware if something is failing.

Together, one should not lose sight of the fact that energy efficiency is linked to minimising the load of electromagnetic waves, as it requires less energy to achieve the same performance or perform the same function.

How can I make a smart home?

To have a smart home it is important to highlight the idea of accessibility of home automation, it is a design for everyone, and everyone can apply this concept and turn it into a way of life.

  1. Do it progressively: the important thing is that you start or try out a device, and then add devices to the whole.
  2. Check your internet: it is essential that your speed and connectivity are adequate.
  3. Choose a system: it should be easy and reliable for you. There are many options on the market, whether it is Apple homekit, Samsung smartthings, Ikea homekit, Google smart home or Alexa Amazon devices.
  4. Compatibility: all devices must be compatible with each other and synchronized to achieve a harmonious whole.
  5. Installation: it is best that it is self-managing and that it is pre-configured to achieve easy administration and avoid civil works to activate it.

Some tools for home automation

Some devices, gadgets, applications, and platforms will be your best friends in this process, it is important that you are completely familiar with them and that they coexist harmoniously.

  • Speakers
  • Lighting and air conditioning
  • Cooking and cleaning
  • Security

At Withfor, this is an issue that really concerns us and is of great concern to us, as it is our mission to consider and encourage the use of tools that promote a more sustainable life, responsible both to people and the environment. As an example of this, we consider, among other elements, smart buildings, and sustainable financing as central points for sustainability. We would be delighted to talk to you and explain everything about our property services at any time – we are always available for any questions!

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