Are you planning on a renovation? Or do you just feel like your home needs a bit of a tech upgrade? There are some really exciting home technologies available at the moment which could make some big improvements in your home.
Making these investments now will move your home up to the next level and change your life at the same time. Some of them are also great ways to save energy and in turn, save the environment.
1) Tesla Powerwall – your home battery
The Tesla Powerwall is a battery that is powered by Solar Panels. It can generate enough power for you to almost live completely off the grid. You’re house will not only be powered by 100% renewable energy but you’ll also making huge savings each year. In fact, according to the latest CHOICE research on this, the first man to install this into his 4-bedroom home as reported a saving of almost 90%!
2) Smart Glass
Also known as Switchable Glass, it’s something that should be considered in every home improvement. Installing it will mean there’s no longer any need for curtains, blinds, or shutters of any kind. You’ll stay completely private without having to close off the suns rays.
Smart glass is an automated and programmable glass that can become clear, translucent, or completely dark. It depends on the day and your mood. It can also tell how much light should be coming in with automatic sensors. So clever!
3) Telstra Smart Home
This is a home automation system which will allow you to do control things from afar. If you’ve been to the movies lately, you may have seen the ad for it. It allows you to switch off your hair straighteners/iron/fan using smart plugs, control the lights, or check the kids have arrived home safely. We’re starting to see these sorts of technologies as a standard inclusion in new homes and renovations.
4) Digital Lighting
Not only will this bring about comfort and convenience, it will also bring efficiency and savings. These are LED lights which are programmable, enabling you to remotely manage them throughout the house. This means that rather than having to run back upstairs to switch the bathroom light off, you can just do it from where you are when you remember. LED bulbs also last up to 25 times longer and are more energy efficient.
5) Smart Locks
Adding this piece of intelligence to your home will mean you never have to worry about leaving the door unlocked again. Every time you close the house door, it will automatically lock behind you. Smart locks can even be operated remotely, allowing you to let people in even when you’re not home. For added security, these locks record all activity and can alert you whenever someone unlocks it.
6) Smart Thermostat
An indispensable high-tech investment which should be incorporated in any home. It regulates heating and cooling in your household, better and more efficiently. You can program it for the best performance and optimal temperature, as well as use your smartphone to control it. You can even connect it to other smart devices, such as a smart lock, and programmed it to turn on when it’s activated. What’s more, it can detect if someone hasn’t been in the room for over 20 mins and if the air-con is on, it’ll switch it off.
7) Smart Splashback
Yes, that’s right, even your splashback can be smart. In 2017 CES (a US tech-trade show), Whirlpool revealed its interactive kitchen prototype. A smart splashback is a screen which can do all sorts of intuitive things such as, scan the contents of your fridge, pre-heat the oven, remind you to stir, it even scans barcodes and suggest recipes.