Smart Homes in the Triangle - Indoor Efficiency

Smart Homes in the Triangle – Indoor Efficiency

New technologies have made Smart Homes more accessible than ever! From smart phones to smart devices and automated living to high efficiency upgrades, there are more ways than ever to have a smart home and save yourself some money along the way! A survey done by Metova revealed that 90% of US consumers surveyed had some type of smart device in their home – so you might as well have a device that also improves efficiency!

Smart Thermostats

If you’re using a dated thermostat, it could be costing you money! As much as 10-20% more than using a smart thermostat. While some are better than others, and as always you should do your research, they’re a great money saving tool!

Smart thermostats connect directly to your Wifi and many come with apps compatible with most smart phones. From the app, you can set schedules for when you’re not home, when you go to bed, seasonal settings, and more. From your app, you can track usage rates, set your system, change the temperature even when you’re not home, and even receive alerts. Some of the more advanced apps allow you to receive emergency alerts when carbon monoxide or other chemicals are detected, alerts to change air filters, and notify you of a problem with your heating and air system.

Home Monitoring Systems / Security

Home monitoring systems work very well if you have multiple smart features in your home that you need to control at one time. These systems often come with a build-your-own type monitoring that allows you to add the systems you need for your home.

Some of the additions may include:

  • Security
  • Cameras
  • Thermostats
  • Lighting
  • Automatic Curtains
  • Door Locks
  • Internet Connection
  • Smart Electrical Outlets
  • Speaker Systems
  • Gates

These systems allow for your home to be as automated as you would like and gives you the power to control your home from wherever you may be. You can truly customize the system for your home to best suit your needs. This is especially handy for those that travel frequently and want to check in on their home or make it seem as if someone is home to tighten security.

Smart and Efficient Lighting and Electrical

We are starting to see in more and more homes a trend of motion sensor lighting. This can help with your energy usage and you won’t be running around turning off the lights in every room! One drawback to this may be if you become still in a room where the light is on for an extended time, the light may go off and you’ll need to trip the sensor. Other than that, these are a great way to improve the efficiency of your home.

Another way to automate lighting is to have smart electrical outlets. These need not be installed, but you can simply plug in an automated addition to your current outlet. This allows you to control when items that are plugged in turn on and off – either on a set time or timer, or being able to turn on and off via an app.


If you’re interested in seeing Smart Homes in the Triangle area, there are a few ways to check them out!

High Performance Home Tour

A great way to tour many Smart Homes in the Triangle is what was formerly known as the Green Home Tour. Now called the High Performance Home Tour, this features homes that are energy efficient in Durham, Orange, Chatham, Wake, and adjacent counties. Homes on this tour have been certified in one of the following ways:

  • National Green Building Standard (NGBS)
  • LEED Certified
  • Eco-Select
  • ENERGY STAR

You can check out information on the latest tour by visiting their website here.

 

Triangle Parade of Homes

Many homes within the Triangle Parade of homes include features that are energy efficient and considered smart homes. This makes the Parade of Homes a great way to tour Smart Homes in the Triangle. If you’re only interested in viewing the homes on the tour that have these features, we recommend doing some research on the homes before you tour, as there are hundreds of homes featured on the tour each year.

Homes on this tour feature the latest in home design, décor, and technology making it a great place to check out the latest technology in energy efficiency.

You can check out information on the latest tour by visiting their website here.

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