05 Oct The latest trends in energy efficiency

Energy efficiency is one of the most critical concerns for businesses and consumers alike in the modern world. People everywhere are starting to place more focus on the things that they can do to create a sustainable, environmentally-friendly planet.

In the last couple of years, we’ve seen the rise of things like smart speakers and home technology designed to help people make more informed decisions about their energy use. Here are just some of the latest trends in energy efficiency affecting the industry today.

1. Energy Monitors Detect Unnecessary Energy Use

 
Whether in the office or at home, one of the easiest things that people can do to transform their energy efficiency, is simply pay more attention to how much electricity they’re using. Smart metres and phone applications can help you to determine which pieces of technology in your property are consuming the largest amounts of energy. From there, you can make the necessary adjustments to your day-to-day activities.

Most energy companies will be able to provide a smart monitor for your home or business. All you need to do is plug these simple devices into a socket, and you’ll be able to track how much energy you’re using on things like printers, televisions, computers and more.

2. Reducing Energy Vampires in the Office

 
Today’s customers are drawn to companies that give something back to the environment. Commitment to a “greener” office space will continue to be an essential trend in the years ahead. Many businesses are already experimenting with things like:

• Dimmer switches: Dimmers use circuitry systems known as TRIAC. The TRIAC system turns lights on and off up to 120 times per second, reducing energy output and wattage.
• Smart power strips: Smart power strips automatically power off peripheral devices like printers and monitors when a computer is no longer running.
• Motion sensors: Why waste money on keeping the lights on and running other essential electricals in your office when you’re not there? Motion sensors can reduce costs by automatically shutting off lights when no-one is around.

 

3. Using Smart Chargers

 
“Smart” technology has begun to appear in almost every aspect of the home and business landscape. Today, we have devices that allow us to manage our security, energy usage, and even our heating from an app on our smartphones. What’s more, intelligent virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Home make the average building more connected than ever.

One recent development in smart technology for the sake of energy efficiency comes in the form of the smart charger. Most of us are guilty of leaving our devices plugged in and charging overnight – even after they’re fully charged. This habit uses unnecessary power and can damage your device batteries in the long term.

A smart charger cuts the power to a device after a certain period, so you’re not using energy when you don’t need to be.

4. Energy Efficient Light Fixtures

 
Home and business owners around the world have been progressively making the move towards more efficient lighting fixtures for a few years now. However, finding the right lighting continues to be a common trend for this year and the years ahead.

Today’s lighting manufacturers realise that energy-efficient lighting needs to deliver low-cost, low-energy solutions, without compromising on style and aesthetic appeal. Some of the most appealing energy-saving features available today combine LED and CFL technology.

Both options are intended to reduce energy consumption. Because LED lights are particularly effective at emitting light in a specific direction, they can be an ideal choice for offices and spaces that require ample lighting in a single area.

5. Time Switches

 
Finally, a lot like motion sensors and dimmer switches, time-switches are now appearing in more energy-efficient homes and businesses. This technology reduces energy consumption by sitting between a plug and an outlet.

The time switch automatically turns off an appliance after a particular time is reached. One of the principle reasons to use a time switch is to make sure that devices aren’t accidentally left switched on in an office – thereby using unnecessary energy.

Setting a time switch to automatically turn off appliances like computers and heaters not only saves money, it can also make your home or office a safer place, by reducing the risk of electrical fires.