Irish Homes Are Smarter Than We Thought
The concept of smart homes has been growing in popularity in recent years, with homeowners and new buyers wishing to modernise and update their homes. Findings from recent research commissioned by SIRO showed that 73% of respondents would consider themselves well informed or informed on smart homes. A smart home, in simple terms, is a home equipped with lighting, heating, and electronic devices that can be controlled remotely by smartphone or computer.
Other key findings in SIRO’s recent research on smart homes included the widespread adoption of smart devices in Irish households:
- Almost seven out of ten (67%) consumers own a smart TV;
- Just under half (49%) of households are in possession of a virtual assistant technology like Alexa;
- A third use smart home technology like digital heating controls and lighting; and
- A quarter use security devices like video doorbells.
Further, two thirds (63%) of respondents believe that the energy saving, and environmental benefits are the most important factors of smart homes.
Smart devices and appliances designed for homes are constantly evolving, and in the next few years we will start to see even more innovative smart devices coming to the market. SIRO’s research points to the fact that smart technology in the home, in some format, is almost standard now. This suggests that although awareness of smart home technology may be becoming ubiquitous; increasingly all aspects of the home will be smart-ified from kitchen appliances, to heating and lighting systems to windows and home security devices.
However, a key aspect homeowners will need to be aware of is the challenge of interoperability between different devices. Many looking to invest in multiple smart devices may not be aware of the challenges that come with various devices trying to connect with one another when they are produced by different companies and developed in different ways.
Some companies such as Bluetooth with their ‘Bluetooth mesh networking system,’ have already been making efforts to advance the standardisation of device control systems. Addressing this challenge and finding solutions to it will be essential to ensuring smart homes can function seamlessly. For now, it remains a case of a lot done, a lot more to do….
Management of the home
A key benefit of having a smart home is being able to manage your smart tech from one device (usually your mobile phone) and from the one place. This means you can remotely manage all aspects of your home from the comfort of your couch, simply at the press of a button.
Smart devices designed to aid cleaning the house such as robot vacuums like the iRobot Roomba, are just one example of a new era of domestic convenience. These vacuums are controlled by apps or your voice controls and can clean any part of the home desired, without the householder having to lift a finger.
Cooking for the family or a large group can often be a stressful part of the day for many. Here too, smart technology companies are starting to deploy smart devices to lend a helping hand. U.S. tech company, Nvidia, has been developing a robotic arm, which will assist with the chopping and dicing up of food, making cooking that bit easier.
Sustainability
Consumers are far more environmentally conscious nowadays, looking to purchase a product or service that is sustainable. The same goes with buying a home.
Again, smart tech can make home living more sustainable (and more affordable). Lights can be controlled to be turned on and off at various times with the use of Smart LED bulbs, saving energy. Smart showers are another example, that will soon become the norm in our bathrooms. These, not only help conserve water by allowing you to set a limit on the duration of shower, but they can also create the ideal shower experience, depending on personal preferences. You can adjust the temperature, flow of water and more all via a mobile device or voice control.
Security, Comfort and Well-being
A major benefit of having a smart home is that by using smart security technology, your home’s safety and security can be enhanced, particularly while you are away from the home. Smart homes enable you to connect any of your mobile devices to access surveillance footage and cameras live from your home from anywhere you may be. You could be at your workplace or out running errands and will be notified if there is any motion detected or unusual activity at your house.
Safety features such as smart locks are also growing in popularity. These enable you to manage the windows and doors of the house digitally, giving you control of when they open and close, ensuring further safety and security.
The prevalence of smart home tech runs parallel to increasing access to fast and reliable fibre broadband, particularly, the rapidly improving in-home Wi-Fi experience. With one linked to the other, its’ no surprise that as our connectivity continues to be enhanced in the home, the upward trajectory of smart home technology will closely follow.
To find out if SIRO 100% fibre broadband is available to our home, search your eircode today.