It’s no secret that maximising your home’s energy efficiency is an important consideration when building or renovating. An energy efficient home will help to save you money on utility bills, reduce the size of your carbon footprint and improve your family's lifestyle.
In recent years, we’ve seen some exciting new technology come onto the market, including cutting edge tools that help electrical companies automate, monitor and reduce clients overall energy consumption. The industry is constantly evolving so be sure to take advantage of your electrician’s vast knowledge and expertise by asking lots of questions before any work commences.
We know it can be overwhelming to know where to start, so we asked Earth & Energy director Aaron Durasovic to list three energy efficiency products Earth & Energy recommends to their clients, which you can discuss with your electrician.
Home Centre with Wireless Relays
With the help of an experienced electrician, you can change the way your family use energy and benefit from some exciting new technology in the industry. A home centre with wireless relays will enable you to effortlessly control lighting, external blinds and everyday appliances.
Intelligent motorised blinds can be programmed from your smart device to automatically respond to changes in temperature and sunlight ensuring your home is adequately protected from the elements. Intelligent motorised blinds keep your house warm in winter and cool in the summer months, reducing the need to run expensive air conditioners and heaters.
If you’re building, this technology can easily be factored in during the planning stage. Although if you’re renovating an older property, a great question to ask your electrician is whether you have enough wireless access points in your home to accommodate this technology. It’s a little more difficult to install down the track if you don’t.
Occupancy Sensors
Enter occupancy sensors, these humble devices are simple and cost effective energy savers. If you’re a young family, you’ve no doubt experienced the frustration of getting your kids to turn the lights off when they leave a room. Installing occupancy sensors helps to automate this behaviour, ensuring you are only using electricity when you actually need it.
If you’re on a tight budget, ask your electrician to strategically place occupancy sensors in areas of your home that are only used for short periods of time such as entrances, hallways and bathrooms. This will go a long way in preventing accidental energy wastage.
There are a number of occupancy sensors on the market that differ in range and capability, so a great question to ask your electrician is whether you are using the correct occupancy sensor for the size of the room.
Wireless Energy Management Devices
As the old saying goes, ‘you can’t manage what you don’t measure’.
A wireless energy management device installed into your main switchboard can be a powerful tool in helping you understand your family’s patterns of energy consumption. They put the power back in your hands, by allowing you to track individual circuits within your home via your smart devices.
Did you know that appliances or devices with sleep mode draw enormous amounts of energy and often without anyone realising? Knowing which appliances are costing you the most to run, can help you change the way your family use and interact with each appliance. This information can also help you make an informed decision when replacing or shopping for new products.
As with occupancy sensors, there are several impressive wireless energy management devices on the market. Have a conversation with your electrician as to which brands they would recommend, whether that particular device links to your smart phone and has the capability to not only monitor your house as a whole but each circuit individually.
Earth & Energy director Aaron Durasovic
