The future of eco-tech: What’s next for smart homes and sustainability?
There are many benefits of a smart home – from safety and security to luxury and comfort, but perhaps the widest reaching and most impactful is how home technology can allow us to live more sustainably. We spoke to the award-winning founder and director of Pfeiffer Design, Susie Pfeiffer, who is an advocate for sustainability within the interior design and construction industry, to find out how she incorporates Control4 into her sustainability-focused projects and how she sees eco-tech evolving in her client’s homes and spaces.
What changes have you seen in smart home technology over the last few years?
“The smart home tech industry has really taken over at our design practice over the past few years, particularly since the pandemic where many of our clients took the time to look inwards and really analyse what they needed from their homes and spaces. Control4’s practical application is a game changer for us, allowing us to bring easy functionality, incorporating sustainability and wellness into our designs in a simple and user-friendly manner. This means our clients feel excited by these new technologies rather than tentative and out of their depth.”
What are the current different ways smart home tech can improve energy efficiency and sustainability in the home?
“With heating and lighting being the main out-goings of most homes, this is the main thing our clients need help with, particularly here in the UK where temperatures and natural lighting are all over the place! Something that we advocate for a lot recently is combining renewable energy creators such as air source heat pumps and solar panels with the energy management system in our smart home set ups. A great example of this is our design studio which has won awards in sustainability for its innovative use of smart home technology utilizing Control4 and both a ground source and air source heat pump as well as solar panels. This has resulted in a reduced energy consumption of 75% since installing!”
How do you balance the function of eco-focused technology with aesthetics? Is it possible to do both?
“Absolutely! We’d be out of a job if not! It’s an interior designer’s role to work alongside the smart home control company to optimize where elements should be placed, focusing on the design to allow the functionality to quietly tick along in the background. The most a homeowner should ever notice is a discreet tablet on the wall, and even these are pretty beautiful nowadays! Even smart light switches and thermostats come in a fantastic array of finishes now, so there is no reason why eco-tech can’t be beautiful; it’s all about correct placement to see what you want to see!”
Are you seeing more clients prioritise sustainability when choosing smart technology for their spaces?
“It’s at the forefront of our all projects and a core part of our design ethos at Pfeiffer Design, but yes, there has definitely been more request from clients recently for consciously designed homes that reduce a homeowner’s carbon footprint and energy usage. Even down to sourcing local materials, re-using client’s furniture, rainwater harvesting, and heat retention practices, a sustainable approach is all-encompassing, and the smart home system is a wonderful tool for our clients to monitor this in the long run.”
What’s your vision for the future of eco-technology in the home?
“It’s certainly interesting and undefined territory, particularly in regard to AI and learning capabilities. In the near future, we see simpler interfaces, more operation between devices, as well as widespread adoption. Even now, we see great use of smart home tech connected to fridges telling you when items are going out of date or when you need to go shopping; kettles to automatically make your cup of tea or coffee for the set time you wake up or come home from work; even running dishwashers and washing machines from a distance with a tap of a button! But in the far future, the possibilities are endless – AI will be the forefront, learning the occupants’ patterns and providing bespoke suggestions on how to improve home systems throughout the years, developing and growing with the homeowners forever!”
What about in your own home? Do you harness smart technology for eco benefits in your own spaces?
“Yes of course, it only makes sense to! Our design studio is situated next to my home, and they share integrated systems. The Studio was built during the pandemic with the latest eco technology which is integrated into our Control4 system. We have ground and air source heat pumps for energy creation, as well as photovoltaic panels; we run a rainwater harvesting system, we have smart thermostats for energy management, and we even have automatic blinds and lighting which again focuses on energy saving and heat retention!
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