With rising electricity costs squeezing household budgets, embracing smart home technology is becoming an increasingly attractive option for many homeowners. Instead of consuming more electricity through appliances, smart home devices help regulate usage, manage functions, and optimize energy consumption so you won’t have to worry about ballooning your electric bill.
In this article, we’ll explore not only how smart home devices can contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle, but also highlight Aqara smart home devices that could make the biggest impact on your energy consumption.
Energy Consumption and Rising Cost of Electricity
According to the latest Electricity Sector Report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world’s demand for electricity grew by 2.2% in 2023, less than the 2.4% growth observed in 2022. However, the global electricity demand is predicted to increase over the next three years, growing by an annual average of 3.4% through 2026.
The United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that the average residential electricity consumption per household in the US is 897 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month. Recent studies show that the average electricity bill per month in the United States is $115.49. Electricity prices in the US have been rising due to increased demand and supply chain disruptions.
Meanwhile, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) reports that the average household in the EU consumes approximately 3,500 kWh of electricity per year. The average electricity bill per month in Europe is €104.72.
Similar trends are observed across Asia, with countries like China and India witnessing a significant rise in energy consumption.
This growing demand depletes energy resources and translates to rising electricity costs for consumers. A report by the World Bank indicates that global electricity prices have increased by an average of 2% per year over the past decade.
Prices have been increasing due to various factors such as rising energy demand, supply chain disruptions, and environmental regulations. These factors highlight the need for energy-efficient solutions to reduce consumption and manage costs.
How Do Smart Home Devices Save Energy?
Smart home devices are designed for efficiency and optimization—whether it’s about using specific smart lights or centralizing all devices into a hub to control your home.
Automation features enable devices to be switched on and off based on predefined schedules or occupancy, eliminating energy waste during unoccupied periods.
Inevitably, these devices can help you reduce waste and lower your electricity bills.
Smart devices achieve the reduction through a variety of ways.
- For instance, smart lighting can be programmed to turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms.
- Smart thermostats can learn your schedule, adjust temperatures, and control humidity accordingly to make sure that energy is not wasted when you’re not home.
- Smart plugs discontinue power use to eliminate standby power drain.
- Smart hubs can control other smart appliances and other smart devices all in one place.
Smart home devices provide real-time monitoring of energy usage which allows users to identify areas where they can optimize consumption. Smart devices can also learn user behavior patterns and adjust settings automatically, further enhancing efficiency. Inevitably, they can help you reduce waste and lower your electricity bills.
Top Energy-Saving Smart Home Devices
Smart Hubs
Smart hubs are the central control units for your smart home ecosystem. It connects various devices and allows them to communicate with each other and with you through a smartphone app.
READ MORE: What Is A Smart Hub?
Aqara offers powerful and versatile smart hubs that support a wide range of Aqara devices and also work seamlessly within the Aqara ecosystem.
But, Aqara hubs are also compatible with other popular smart home ecosystems like Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.
Smart hubs are nothing but a smart home brain. They serve as a control unit for your smart devices making them interact among themselves and can be controlled from a distance. Aqara M2 and M3 have an IR control that can turn on and off many household appliances like air-conditioners, to help reduce energy waste. A good hub not only helps in making the management of the devices easier but also helps in saving energy by optimally coordinating their use.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats are arguably the biggest energy savers in a smart home. They help regulate temperatures at different times of the year, maintain heat, and even be programmed via smart hubs for easier access.
Aqara’s smart thermostats such as the Aqara Radiator Thermostat E1 can learn your temperature preferences and automatically adjust heating and cooling settings based on your schedule and occupancy. This Aqara thermostat also integrates with smart sensors to further optimize temperature control.
Smart Temperature and Humidity Sensor
A smart temperature and humidity sensor will enable you to track and manage home temperature and humidity levels. The Aqara Temperature and Humidity Sensor continuously monitors the environment and relays data to the smart hub which then will relay to appropriate smart devices.
Using the information gathered by the sensor, you may tweak changes to the smart thermostat regulating the heating and cooling based on real-time conditions.
Smart Presence Sensors
Smart presence detectors can sense someone being in a room, and control lighting and temperature too. This means that lights or appliances can be turned off in empty rooms, decreasing energy consumption.
Smart presence sensors, like the Aqara Motion Sensor, detect occupancy and automatically adjust lighting, heating/cooling, and other appliances based on presence or absence.
Smart Lighting
Smart lighting gives you the power to operate lights from a distance and even put them on schedule so that they are on only when needed. Smart lighting systems, such as Aqara’s Smart LED Light Bulb, offer a variety of benefits beyond convenience.
These smart lights allow you to control lighting remotely, dim the lights to set the perfect ambiance, and create schedules to ensure lights are only on when needed. Smart bulbs utilize LED technology that is more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Smart Plugs
Smart plugs transform any appliance into a smart device. They allow appliances to be turned off when not in use avoiding standby power consumption. You can schedule when devices turn on and off, remotely control their operation, and even monitor energy consumption. It empowers users to eliminate standby power drain from devices not actively in use.
Smart Door Locks
Smart door locks offer security and convenience while also contributing to energy savings. Sometimes, we forget to close the door when leaving the house so the energy for heating or cooling is wasted. Remote locking capabilities ensure doors are always secured, eliminating the need to leave lights or appliances on for security reasons when you’re away.
Where To Get Energy-Efficient Smart Home Devices?
You can contribute to a more sustainable future by reducing your energy consumption and lowering your carbon footprint. Aqara’s energy-efficient smart home devices empower you to live comfortably and conveniently while minimizing your environmental impact.
Aqara is the leading provider of energy-saving smart home devices. Check out our Where To Buy page to get the Aqara devices near you.
Experience the benefits of a more sustainable lifestyle. Invest in a smart home today!
