A smart home is exactly what you think it is: a home that’s designed, built or run in a smart way.

A smart home is:

• warmer, drier, more comfortable with more natural light
• safer
• cheaper to run, with lower fuel bills
• healthier for you and your family
• great to live in
• easier on the environment.

Smart homes are for everyone. Whether you’re building, you’ve already got a home, or you’re renting, you can have a smart home. Being smart doesn’t have to cost you more, and can save you a great deal.

In a smart home, the sun can provide much of your space and water heating, and you can also save power with low-energy appliances and a few simple tricks like switching things off at the wall. Your electricity bill will be slashed!

Smart homes also use less water, which means you can save on water charges if you are metered.

Saving money can be easy. For example:

• Fitting a low flow shower head could save you around $100 per person per year on water heating and water costs (if you pay for your water).
• Insulating your home will slash your heating costs. An un-insulated home takes up to 45% more energy to heat than a fully insulated home.
• Energy-saving appliances can save you money over their lifetime and they don’t generally cost any more to buy than less efficient models
• Replacing incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights can save you more than $70 over their lifetime, even allowing for the additional upfront cost.

In addition, if you’re building or renovating, taking a smart approach means using resources efficiently and working with your environment - both of which can lead to savings.

Recycling and re-using building materials can save you lots of money in building costs and reduce your impact on the environment - without affecting the quality or strength of your building.

You may be looking to build a new house. Everyone will find Your Guide to a Smarter Home useful. The booklet offers advice on topics including insulation, heating, lighting and appliances as well as home buying, building and maintenance. A range of no/low cost tips and recommended worthwhile investments shows how people can achieve better energy efficiency and cost savings in these areas.

Smart homes can pay for themselves

You don’t necessarily have to spend more to live in a smart home. Many of the ideas on this website cost nothing, and will bring you immediate gains.

With others, you may pay some additional up-front costs, but you’ll save in the long run.

Smart homes sell for more

International research suggests re-sale values for low-energy homes are much higher than for other homes. This stands to reason: smart homes are better to live in.

Fitting smart features to your home adds value to your asset.

Smart homes are healthier

Many New Zealand homes are unhealthy to live in. Consider:

• Nearly one-third of New Zealand homes are colder than the 16ºC recommended by the World Health Organisation.
• Many are damp and have mould and mildew problems.
• Many building materials and furnishings contain toxic chemicals - these can take months or even years to clear.

Living in cold, damp conditions isn’t healthy for you or your families. It contributes to colds and flu, as well as respiratory diseases such as asthma and cardiovascular diseases.

Cold, damp conditions also contribute to growth of mould and mildew, which also cause respiratory ailments and may be associated with depression.

Toxic chemicals from building products and furnishings can, in high concentrations, cause headaches, runny eyes and nose and other unpleasant symptoms.

A smart home avoids these problems. It’s warm, dry, light and well ventilated, and it uses materials that are healthy to be around.

If you value your health and your children’s health, a smart home is for you.

Smart homes are safer

In a smart home, good design is used to minimise safety hazards and security threats. For example, smart homes are positioned to be visible from the street so you’re part of the community and your home is less likely to be targeted by criminals.

Being smart is about making simple decisions, such as turning your hot water temperature down and using less alkaline dishwashing detergent so your kids aren’t at risk of serious burns.

Smart homes are more comfortable

A well-designed, well-insulated home will stay warm and dry all year round. Smart design will also help to control problems such as noise and glare from the sun. In a smart home, you’ll have a more comfortable life. Reducing damp in your home will decrease moisture damage. This will decrease the amount of maintenance required, saving you time and money.

Smart homes feel great to live in

Many people who live in smart homes say there are many benefits of a smart home that are hard to put a dollar value on - things like:

• ambience
• distinctive design
• a sense of space
• harmony with the site

It is often these benefits people value the most, even though they may not be the main reason for designing a smart home in the first place.

Smart homes help the environment

Smart homes help the environment by helping you.

By using less energy, you’re cutting your power bill - and you’re also helping the country to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

By using less water, you’re reducing your own costs and also helping to protect waterways and reduce the need for new dams and reservoirs.

By reducing waste, recycling and composting, you’re cutting down on the need for landfills.

Global warming and other environmental issues can seem too big to deal with. But you can make a difference just by making smart decisions at home.

Smart homes are for everyone

You don’t have to build a new smart home. You can make smart changes when you renovate.

Whether you own or rent - you can make simple, everyday lifestyle changes such as composting your kitchen waste or choosing energy-efficient light bulbs. The changes will be easy and simple to make and you’ll be saving money and the environment.

Maintaining and renovating can be smart

Smart maintenance and renovation also mean you don’t have to build a whole house to have a smart home.

Only a few of us ever build our own home. Most of us buy existing houses and they all have to be maintained.

Maintaining your home makes it last longer. Renovating helps it adapt to your changing needs. If you’re smart about how you approach maintenance and renovation, these options can cost you less and use fewer resources in the long run than building a new home or buying another.

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