Smart Home Tips for Saving Energy

(Connected information for Partners)

smart home

Interested in automating your home but wondering where to start? Let us help you navigate the smart home landscape so you save energy, save money and help protect the environment.

Smart products can be remotely managed from your phone even when you’re out of the house. Products can be programmed to perform actions automatically based on your schedule, send alerts about performance issues before they become a big issue, and even adjust energy usage based on occupancy detection.  Below is some key advice for leveraging smart home devices for energy savings:

Smart Home Energy Management Systems

The ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management Systems (SHEMS) program recognizes smart home systems that help you simplify, reduce and manage your energy consumption. An ENERGY STAR SHEMS package requires at minimum, an ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat, lighting and monitor/control plug loads. However, other products and services, such as ENERGY STAR appliances, EV chargers, and smart security can be added. Beyond the minimum devices, the package can be infinitely customizable to fit your lifestyle. Through SHEMS, energy consumption is simplified by:

  • Facilitating a schedule for your smart devices to operate
  • Suggesting energy saving actions based on usage patterns
  • Automatically controlling smart home devices based on room or home occupancy

Ask your smart home/security/cable providers if they offer an ENERGY STAR Smart Home Energy Management System. 

Smart Thermostats

Heating and cooling consume more energy than any other appliance in the home, making smart thermostats the best candidate to help save energy within the household.  These devices offer the ability to monitor and adjust your home’s temperature even when you are away.  More importantly, they can be used to automatically turn down your heating and cooling when it’s not needed.   Smart thermostats that have earned the ENERGY STAR go through an independent certification process that verifies energy savings based on extensive field data. Among the first to be certified were NEST, ecobee, Carrier/Bryant, and EcoFactor. Each product uses slightly different features to help homeowners save energy, so do your research, and choose the ENERGY STAR smart thermostat that's right for you.

Smart Lighting

Not only do ENERGY STAR certified smart light fixtures and light bulbs use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs, they also help you when you forget to turn out the lights. If you choose smart lighting that has earned the ENERGY STAR, it’s using less energy when it’s on and in standby, and has15 times the life expectancy than that of incandescent bulbs.

Smart Appliances

Appliances are getting smarter. ENERGY STAR certified appliances with connected functionality use less energy and offer new functions that can enable convenience, even more savings, and “smart grid” capabilities.