Now more than ever, there’s an emphasis on being more responsible citizens of the Earth. We all have a duty to make the environment a better place; not only for now but also for the future. This is why industries around the globe are looking for ways to be “more green” and the real estate is no exception. As a result, the energy-effective and eco-friendly technologies are rapidly gaining popularity on both demand and supply sides of the housing market.

The market is moving towards sustainable housing solutions (and so should you)

The changes in the natural environment are more visible than ever. The society is aging, and the space in cities is becoming increasingly limited. Consequently, the residential market is putting much more impact on the long-term value and the usefulness of the housing investments.

A growing number of consumers is searching for ways to incorporate sustainability into their building plans. These efforts reflect both a concern for the environment and increased attention to long-term costs. We all know that the population grows, and so is demand for power. Energy conservation is no longer a matter of choice – it is a conscious decision which needs to be made. Luckily, the solution is right here.

Energy consumers and suppliers can achieve a reliable, cost-efficient power mix through smart energy management systems which play a crucial role in the equation to reduce electricity consumption. They establish optimal consumption schedules by considering several factors, such as energy costs, environmental concerns, load profiles, and consumer comfort. Thus, create an extremely attractive option for both developers and customers.

When preparing real estate projects, we take into account both global trends in housing construction and we respond to customer expectations. It should be assumed that the premises of the future will be equipped with solutions in the field of housing automation, which will improve the comfort and safety of their tenants. As customers pay more and more attention to the operating costs of the purchased premises, we expect an increase in interest in the use of renewable and green energy sources. – Nikodem Iskra, President of the Board Murapol S.A. (Author’s translation from Polish)

What is Home Energy Management System (HEMS)?

A home energy management system or simply HEMS is designed to monitor and manage the electricity usage by tracking the flow of energy throughout the premises. A hardwired device through a connection with a secured network or the Internet, measures, tracks and records energy usage in a cloud-based application.

HEMS can vary greatly in the breadth of their applications. They can allow the user to do a range of things such as turn devices on and off remotely, set them to operate on schedules, set up conditional rules for device operation manage and decrease the use of energy, and allow advanced algorithms to take over and run the system semi-automatically.

Effective energy management, lighting control, heating or protection against flooding, are just some of the possibilities offered by the Home Management System. As the idea behind HEMS is to discover ways in which the household can reduce electricity consumption and consequently save on their energy costs by better managing the appliances, the smart solutions like Appartme offer not only full control over the appliances but also usage insights.

HEMS should be able to tell a user the story of his energy usage in a way that would not be possible otherwise. For example, what devices are drawing power on standby when a customer is not home, is the air conditioner or the heater running more often than necessary and more. In short, HEMS should be able to help a user answer all questions about energy usage.

What are the benefits of HEMS for developers and landlords?

Above all, automation and smart solutions increase the apartment value as they come in a package with convenience, safety, and reduction of electricity usage and energy costs.

Smart home technology allows for full automation and improvement of the functionality of the house or apartment. It is possible to control the devices regardless of the place where we are. A user can control remotely control lighting, heating, alarms, and much more.

In addition to the improved comfort of use of the apartment, smart systems are able to ensure safety around the clock by automatically detecting, for example, a leak in the gas system or smoke and by using the moisture sensor and preventing the apartment from flooding.

Home energy management systems represent a great opportunity for households to understand their electricity usage patterns, and make simple changes which can help to save on energy costs. Unlike a power bill, which simply states the lump sum of electricity usage, a home energy management system uses energy disaggregations algorithms to state when and which devices consume the biggest amount of power.

As HEMS offer improved data analysis and thus, more accurate forecasts of demand, they help energy providers to meet their clients’ needs. Above that, offer new kinds of services like personalized cost-effective insights as data aggregated from connected devices helps to more accurately map customers’ behavior.

Last, but not least, the housing investments which adapt the most advanced technologies, and consider sustainable, eco-friendly solutions give the greater investment prestige and thus, higher interest. Not to mention that they terrifically grab the attention of the Green Generation, the Millennials’.

The Homes of Future are already here

Everything indicates that the future will belong to smart homes and automation is to become a common solution. Especially with the possibilities connected to the integration of smart solutions and advanced security technologies, like facial recognition and video analytics are unlimited.

As the industry is moving to the future, and technology becomes an increasingly ubiquitous feature of real estate, the great idea of the truly smart home is no longer an idea. The fully-automated buildings, able to store energy and offer the highest comfort and security are already out there. In Wales, for example, Cardiff University has been showcasing an energy positive home, which integrates a range of solar technologies into the design of the property, as well as incorporating heat pumps and energy storage.

As technology is evolving, and smart solutions are becoming more affordable, now it’s time to rethink how HEMS can be beneficial for your future businesses. If you want to find out how smart home solutions could increase the value of your investment, contact us today.