Smart technology can re-imagine how we live making it easier and more streamlined – from turning on the lights and the heating before you get home from work, to monitoring if you've left windows open or appliances on, having an automated home can save time and remove stress from daily life.
It's no longer just the domain of the rich. Technology available now is not only incredibly clever, but also more affordable and simpler to use than in the past – and you don't have to be building a new home to install a system.
PDL by Schneider Electric recently launched a new offering called PDL Wiser Smart Home, and feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive, says home solutions consultant Robert Knight.
"People love how easy it is and the fact it doesn't cost a fortune," he says. "We're finding that people building new homes or doing major renovations think they should be including as much automation as possible because it is the way of the future. The beauty of Wiser is that you don't have to put in special wiring, you just connect to what you already have."
That's a simple matter of an electrician trained in PDL Wiser making some updates to your power outlets or switches. That switch or outlet is then controlled by an app on your smartphone. If your phone runs out of battery or someone else needs to make changes to settings in your home, they can still do it the old-fashioned way by flicking the switch.
A key benefit of PDL Wiser– a finalist in the 2021 Best Design Awards – is that you don't have to automate your whole house in one go, says Knight: "If you want to test the water, you can do it in stages, maybe starting by doing your living room, bathroom or kitchen. You can then expand from there when you are ready to.
There are more demands on our homes to be multi-purpose and multi-functional – they have to transition from relaxing haven to homework hub to hosting virtual meetings. Modern lifestyle demands on a family home to provide for our wellbeing, work and enjoyment have never been so important.
Starting out the working day can be hectic, but a smart home can help to keep the family on schedule and reduce the burden by taking care of simple daily tasks.
The lights can brighten in the kids' bedrooms at wake-up time, while the blinds open automatically around the house to let the light in. You can even set up your smart home to turn off the heated towel rail, lights and the bathroom fan automatically as you leave to do the school run.
Timers can be programmed to turn off the power outlet after a certain period. If you've had your hair straighteners plugged in and, while driving to work, suddenly wonder if you switched them off, you can relax…that socket was automatically set to turn itself off after 20 minutes.
If you are worried about the kids overflowing the bath, security, excessive humidity or temperature control in the house, then a smart home sensor can also be added to the system.
"We do a range of wireless sensors, so you can monitor everything from temperature and humidity through to light levels, motion and door and window status," says Knight. "So you can tell whether a window is open or if someone is moving through the house."
These sensors are great if you are away from your home and want to keep a close eye on what is going on through the app, or if you have a holiday home you want to monitor.
Simplifying your lifestyle even stretches to leaving the house. A special feature of PDL Wiser is known as Moments, meaning you can programme a group of actions using your app. When you leave the house, you can turn off all lighting, heating and non-essential appliances like the TV simply by hitting a Moment you've set up and named 'I'm Leaving' or 'Goodbye'.
"The whole intention is to make life easier. Wiser changes the way you live in your home and helps to make daily living easier without stressing your budget. These days, that's a very good thing." Knight says.
For more information, see pdl.co.nz/wiser