‘Smart’ enough to help make a difference

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reported that the energy crisis is hitting UK households harder than any other country in Western Europe. It’s due to the UK’s heavy reliance on gas to heat homes and produce electricity. Gas is currently in short supply in the UK too, and Russia’s war in Ukraine has sent the commodity price soaring, writes Chris Mellor-Dolman, Head of Marketing at Webro Cables.

According to the McKinsey Global Energy Perspective report 2022, buildings consume a staggering 42% of total energy across all sectors in the EU – ahead of transport at 32% and industry at 23%. Space heating accounts for a whopping 52% of those building energy costs. Appliances and lighting are the next biggest energy guzzlers, using an average of 18% and 12% respectively.

In terms of homes themselves, the most surprising fact is that the UK has the least energy efficient housing stock in Europe. Some 37% of homes were built before 1946, compared to less than 25% in most other European countries. The upshot is that it makes it so much more expensive for people to keep these homes warm and to run them efficiently.

In the face of any crisis, we have to find ways to be resourceful, and to help where we can. Professionals such as electrical contractors and AV integrators have the knowledge, skills, and access to technology to be able to create ‘smart homes’ that would help UK consumers to drive down their energy bills.

For starters, in terms of imparting knowledge there are some very quick and easy changes that can be suggested to customers that can make a significant difference to their household energy costs:

• Smart thermostats provide homeowners with the ability to monitor energy usage and control the temperature – ideally in each room independently. • Smart plugs are especially useful for those who struggle to remember to switch equipment off when it’s not in use, saving pounds in unnecessary wastage. • Smart dimmers reduce electricity consumption and extend the life of bulbs.

Dimming lights by just 20% reduces energy consumption in equal measure by 20% too. • Smart appliances may cost more upfront in many cases, but the difference versus equipment that’s less efficient is soon clawed back, resulting in cost-savings that are enjoyed well within the lifetime of the product.

Once these basics are in place, the next step is to create truly smart homes using integrated systems. It

The ‘smarter’ you make the property, the more cables you’re likely to need

involves premises being installed with lighting, blind, and heating controls to ensure that every square metre is as efficient as possible. This is easiest to do in new builds of course – where legislative requirements within building regulations are making cost-efficiency and environmental considerations mandatory to an ever-greater degree, but retrofitting existing buildings is possible too, in order to make them more energy efficient.

The natural default position for consumers is to get caught up in the seductiveness of smart home technology. This is fundamentally the devices, equipment and even the soft furnishings that are on show in the home – the visual aesthetics if you like, of sleek designer lighting, dazzling blinds, and super slim control panels. What’s not spoken about often, but is vital for the technology to connect them and get them to work as they should, is the plethora of cables of varying types that are needed.

The ‘smarter’ you make the property, the more cables you’re likely to need. This is where ‘smart’ comes into its own in terms of the money spent – on applying the correct cable for each separate function so that it’s fit for purpose. Quality is paramount for long-term reliability, of course, and ensuring that cables are future-proof is essential, so that you’re not having to replace cables as systems get smarter.

There are several brand choices for smart building management that cover the key applications, including KNX, Lutron, Crestron, and Control4. Take light controls for example. Leading lighting control manufacturers are committed to innovation that leads to energy savings and eco-friendly technologies. Made specifically for lighting applications to manage the balance between daylight and electrical light, light controls don’t only save money, they enhance the home environment and thus quality of life within it.

Given the vast array of choice, you’re best to buy your cables from a specialist cable supplier that understands the product performance specifications of your project. They’ll help you to consider the electrical and certification (CPR, UKCA etc.) requirements, making sure that the right materials are specified in line with safety stipulations.

All buildings have an environmental impact. Moving to a smart home reduces, minimises, and in some cases, negates this impact. Driving building efficiency by turning the lights on at the right time, opening and closing blinds to let in light and keep as much heat in as possible, and using heat when and where it needs to be, is integral to the intelligent management of homes.

By taking this approach, customers can not only enjoy the benefit of costs savings and comfort, they’ll also have the peace of mind that they’re playing their part in driving towards the government’s target for the UK to be net zero by 2050.

Smart thinking, plus smart technology, driven by smart investment, results in smart homes that save money and help to protect the environment.