Save energy in your smart home
Would you like an overview of your energy consumption – from anywhere and in real time? Do you have a digital electricity meter, but still have to go down to the basement to get a reading?
Then it is time for a smart solution: Measuring, optimising, saving – this is where you can find out everything about intelligent energy management, which can be easily implemented in your own home in just a few steps, depending on your interests, and with the right smart home devices.
Smart energy is the order of the day. In view of rising energy prices, more and more households are becoming interested in sustainable solutions and systems in order to eventually save more electricity. They are increasingly focusing on the daily consumption of energy in their own smart home. Make your life easier too and benefit from the advantages of energy-saving devices and smart home systems – without having to sacrifice comfort. This protects the environment, but above all your wallet.
Measure and visualise energy consumption
- Smart grid and smart meter: An intelligent network consisting of modern communication technology and digital measuring units that make consumption data on electricity generation and consumption measurable. Smart meters, for example, transmit consumption values to the energy supplier and simultaneously receive information on current costs.
- Smart energy managers: Connected to a smart meter, analysis programmes, apps and online portals often display the current energy consumption down to the precise minute. In this way, consumption patterns and power guzzlers can be quickly identified. Our partners Bosch, Siemens or Samsung offer smart household appliances that, in conjunction with smart energy managers, recognise when the energy is cheap. Only then will the dishwasher or washing machine switch on automatically.
- High cost transparency: Based on the measurable energy consumption values, important conclusions about your current energy consumption can be drawn at any time. This means that the annual electricity bill no longer contains any nasty surprises in terms of high payment demands.
Smart metering systems are the backbone of an intelligent electricity grid, the smart grid, and thus also an important component of the energy revolution in the coming decades. Special measuring devices, so-called smart meters, ensure communication between energy producers, storage facilities and consumers.
A private solar or photovoltaic system on the roof produces electricity, some of which is fed into the public grid and some of which is used for domestic electricity consumption. Then you belong to the so-called “prosumers” and can become independent of the local electricity provider to a certain extent. However, in order for an energy supply to be guaranteed day and night, this independence means in return that more coordination is required within the electricity grid.
Digital meters, smart energy managers and measuring devices help here. They make the consumption and feed-in behaviour of an electricity-saving household, for example in connection with a renewable energy system, transparently measurable and offer the option to optimise the individual electricity consumption. During a sunny day, for example, surplus electricity that is produced can flow directly into self-consumption or be temporarily parked in the home’s own storage unit until it is needed.
Optimise energy consumption smart
Would you like to save energy costs in the long term? Admittedly, it is not always easy to save energy and conserve resources in everyday life, but it is worthwhile to take a look at your own energy consumption and optimise it: On the one hand, you save money and, on the other hand, the environmental impact is reduced. Often, we are not aware of how much energy we could actually save in our homes by simply switching off or at least sustainably regulating electrical appliances, thermostats or lighting that are not needed.
Below, we will show you specific examples of how everyone can live more energy-consciously and reduce their electricity consumption in their smart home by networking their appliances. The best part: Most measures in support of sustainability can be automated via the Home Connect Plus app.
Saving energy with smart heating control
Intelligent heating is not only convenient , but also helps to keep an eye on your energy consumption. Thanks to the networking of smart thermostats, underfloor heating or air-conditioning systems with other smart devices, it is now easier than ever to set the perfect indoor climate at any time of day or year. On top of that, energy consumption can be optimised through smart automation, because your smart heating system can be used more efficiently by controlling the time or switching the devices on and off automatically. The best part: In the future, you will no longer waste unnecessary energy and, at the same time, your smart home is optimally adapted to your personal needs.
A comfortable temperature and smart savings
Even small savings pay off: Intelligent automations not only ensure a suitable comfortable temperature in your home, but also help to save heating costs in the long term. A heating automation system automatically regulates the temperature down if, for example, the smart door lock is locked in the morning or if your smart home uses a motion detector to detect that no one is at home. This means that you do not have to worry about anything in the future and no unnecessary energy is consumed when no one is home.
Smart lighting: Lights, switches and accessories
Warm light in the dining room, bright illumination in the kitchen or an atmospheric ambience in the living room – with intelligent light control via the app or a motion detector, you have the optimal lighting in your smart home at all times. You can also control the different brightness levels and colour settings of your smart lamps – all with just one click via the app. In addition to control via your smartphone, there is also a wide range of smart light switches and accessories that can be installed very easily.
Of course, the smart enjoyment of light also consumes energy but, with the help of smart automations, electricity consumption can be optimised in just a few steps, so that even those who like to save money can benefit from intelligent lighting control. Combine your smart lighting with other smart home appliances and gain additional comfort.
Light on or off when you need it
If you keep the lights on, this consumes a lot of electricity and you waste energy unnecessarily. For example, network your smart lamps and luminaires with a motion detector and create a clever lighting automation. Your lighting in the hallway therefore only switches on when you really need it, for example. If no movement is detected, the light goes out again after a time of your choice. In this way, you not only save energy costs, but also do something for the environment by using resources sustainably.
Smart Plug: Networking for every device
Smart sockets can be easily integrated into your household and also make older household appliances, the coffee machine or lamps smart. This makes it possible to control all of your devices remotely via an app using common wireless standards such as WLAN, Bluetooth, Zigbee or DECT. Smart plugs help you to operate only the devices you need at the time they are in use.
Clever automation helps you to do this: Switch off all of the lights in your smart home at a certain time or put the entire house or flat into energy-saving mode when you are away.
Relax and switch off
Once the smart sockets have been attached to the selected devices, the energy savings can begin: Create a good-night automation that, for example, automatically switches off all appliances from 10 p.m. during the week. So you can go to bed relaxed and no device remains in standby mode unnecessarily.
Smart charging station for e-cars
A powerful wallbox or charging station for your e-car has several intelligent functions that simplify and accelerate the charging of the car. For example, they regulate the optimal load distribution fully automatically so that each car can be charged in the best possible way. This saves time and energy.
Alternatively, in smart electricity networks, modern electric cars themselves can act as temporary storage for surplus electricity that is produced by the home’s own photovoltaic system. The battery in the e-car absorbs the surplus energy and releases it again for in-house use, for example at night or on bad weather days.
Making smart use of surplus electricity
Do you have your own PV system and want to use your surplus electricity smartly? Then you can use automation to charge your electric car, for example, only when the current surplus is more than 2000 W. This principle can also be applied to other smart devices of your choice, such as a heat pump or air-conditioning system.
Smart insights for your intelligent home
Download the Home Connect Plus app for free
Strong Partners, strong network
The open ecosystem of Home Connect Plus offers the advantage of being able to continuously expand the partner network – regardless of the device category. This means that users can remain flexible in the design of their smart home and can be confident that the devices will work and harmonize perfectly with each other.
