Smart homes are not just about home automation as it is commonly termed as. They’re also about building green homes with smart building materials that provide longevity and are aesthetically pleasing. They’re about reducing carbon footprint and natural living. Smart homes are also about building energy efficient homes that are low on maintenance apart from providing safety and security. Along with all these benefits, smart homes also mean that they fit in budget and do not cost an arm!

The concept of green-home and home-automation goes hand-in-hand when it comes to building a smart home that saves money, saves environment and at the same time makes life easier.

According to Ecorate and icontrol-

• U.S. homebuyers are willing to pay 11-25% more for green homes

• 40% of current home remodels are constructed with green products

• Green buildings typically have 30% lower utility expenses and are equipped with products that last longer and perform better  

• 90% of respondents said personal and family security is the number one reason for using home automation system

• 80% of respondents said HVAC heating and cooling management is one of the most important features for reducing utility bills and becoming more environmentally-friendly – with more than half citing it as number one in terms of importance.

6 Things Smart Homes have to offer are:

1.Safety and security –

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• Smart homes are primarily known for the level of safety they provide for the kith and kin, which is of optimum concern for everyone.

• Detection of gas leakage or fire alarm in integrated automation system alerts the residents and helps them to take precautionary measures.

• Home automation alerts prevent act of burglary or unauthorized person trying to enter the house even when you are away from your home.

• Smart homes offer huge savings to the owner by optimum usage of electricity, minimum wastes of resources and longevity of the home.

• Smart homes that are built with sustainable materials offer a secure and healthy place to live with your family. They provide safe interiors, as there is minimal carbon and other harmful emissions from the building materials used.

• Smart homes also keep your loved ones safe from natural calamities. Walling materials like hollow bricks help in preventing causalities during earthquakes or hurricanes since they’re lightweight.

• They prevent fire incidents since most of the materials used to construct the smart homes are fireproof materials (Ex. Fireproof clay bricks, roof tiles, etc.).

2. Ease of management–

• Smart homes are easy to manage and maintain.

• With drastic reductions in artificial materials at home, it becomes easy to utilize all the natural resources such as sunlight and ventilation to create comfortable ambiance. Hence it also brings down the pain of maintenance due to wear and tear.

• One of biggest advantages offered by smart homes is, they keep your interiors pleasant naturally without HVAC systems being used. One of the reasons for this is the type of clay hollow bricks being used to build the walls. These bricks have high thermal insulation capacity, which prevents the heat from outside from entering inside and vice-versa.

• With the help of energy management system or home automation system, managing your home is just a touch away. It analyzes energy consumption, switching gadgets and appliances on or off automatically, taking actions based on the occupancy in rooms, etc.

• Both managing and monitoring your energy consumption patterns makes it possible to understand and reduce energy drainage.

• Smart homes also offer you a welcoming home by automatically opening the garage and the doors for you to step in peacefully. And not to mention, they also get locked on their own at your back.

3. Longevity –

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• Smart homes have smart design and architecture, which makes it possible for them to stand the test of time and provide long lasting durability while retaining their appearance.

• The structure of the house and the innovative materials being used to build the house together contribute to the longevity of the house. For example, consider the famous monuments in India like Qutub Minar in Delhi, which is the world’s tallest minaret, or the Fortress of Kumbhalgarh constructed between 1443 and 1458. Both these historic assets were well-constructed using clay bricks and are the testament of longevity.

• Hence it goes without saying that smart homes offer longevity when the right materials like Porotherm (which are made of clay) aids a good architectural design.

4. Low maintenance and economical –

• Smart homes are low on maintenance in terms of both interiors as well as exteriors.

• They can provide comfortable interiors for the dwellers naturally by curbing the usage of HVAC systems. This saves huge on utility bills annually helping the owners maintain the house with ease.

• Incorporation of solar plants for heating purposes lets you save in huge numbers.

• These houses need little maintenance on the exteriors due to the usage of smart building materials and the architectural design.

• Not only that, smart construction materials such as Porotherm clay bricks when used for wall construction can prove to be economical even when the home is being constructed. These smart bricks save you on structural costs, as they are lightweight and hence reduce dead load on the building structure. This in turn brings down the construction cost by reducing the steel required for construction. Hence smart homes can be constructed under budget.

• Home automation system, which takes care of energy usage by automatically switching the lights and appliances on and off depending on the occupancy, again brings down utility bills proving to be economical in the long run.

5. Aesthetics –

• Smart homes are aesthetically pleasing and boost the curb appeal.

• Smart homes bring character to the exterior of your home and helps increase the value at the time when you plan to sell it.

• Utilization of natural light during day and energy saving LED bulbs that illuminate at night make your home unique giving the passerby a hint of attraction.

• Since most of the materials used to build smart homes are natural (for example clay facades or roof tiles) they tend to resist harsh weather conditions retaining the color and appeal for a longer period of time.

6. Eco-friendly –

• Smart homes are eco-friendly and offer a place for dwelling that is close to nature yet convenient and modern.

• They help in reducing the use of HVAC systems by providing comfortable interiors naturally thereby curbing excessive energy consumption and reduces carbon footprint.

• Smart homes with home automation can take sustainability to the next level. Home automation helps in conserving energy resources by automatically turning the lights and appliances off when they are not in use.

• Smart homes stand for 3Rs i.e. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. This system brings down dumping of waste back in the environment.

• The natural paints used to paint the house reduce toxic releases like VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) in the environment making it a safe place.

Smart homes are efficient and residents friendly. They are more than just automatic homes; they help us preserve the environment and are the gifts for future generations.