The Five Lessons I Learnt While Making My Home Smarter
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By Dr Andrew Dickson, engineering executive at CBi-electric: low voltage
A smart home in Constantia, Cape Town has sold for R42,750,000. While this included a Tesla power wall, solar panels, a borehole with a water filtration system, central heating, and air conditioning all controlled by smart home technologies, these days making a home smarter is easily accessible to anyone.
Over the past four years, I’ve been on a mission to incorporate smart technology into my home to gain insight into the place we spend so much of our time. As an engineer, my initial curiosity about smart home automation led me down a fascinating path. What started as an experiment has now completely transformed how my family and I experience our living space.
As for how smart home technology has changed our lives, for starters it has demonstrably reduced our electricity bill. The ability to monitor energy consumption in real-time allows us to optimise usage and identify areas for reduction.
Convenience has been another key factor. Now, my wife and I can control many elements within our home - everything from lighting to our geysers – from the comfort of our couch using our smartphones.
Without a doubt, the biggest game-changer has been the ability to programme various tasks. For instance, I can turn the geyser on remotely as I head home from a road trip, ensuring there’s plenty of hot water for a shower upon my return. Additionally, external lights can be controlled based on internet-derived information about sunrise and sunset times, and I can turn lights on from anywhere in the world, enhancing the security of my property. I can also monitor the pool pump’s performance and easily adjust its settings after rain to increase filtering time. Plus, I can enforce bedtime limits for the adults by programming the TV to turn off, preventing late-night binge-watching.
And, of course, it has added value to our property.
For anyone considering embarking on a similar project, the following are my top five lessons:
Lesson 1: Start small, scale up - Don't feel pressured to automate everything at once. Rather focus on areas that will deliver the greatest return on your investment and the most convenience first. In my case, automating when my geyser turned on - as well as for how long – resulted in a noticeable reduction in my electricity bill. Lights were the other big element added onto the system early on.
Lesson 2: Keep costs low - There’s a common misconception that installing smart home technology requires a complete electrical overhaul. Devices like smart plugs, isolators and controllers can easily be installed by an electrician without the need for additional wiring or hubs. This approach allows you to experience the benefits of smart home technology without a significant upfront investment.
Lesson 3: Invest in a reliable Wi-Fi network - Initially, my Wi-Fi signal wasn’t strong enough to contend with the addition of smart devices in metal distribution boards and in external circuits like a pool pump. Upgrading my hardware not only solved the immediate issue but also future-proofed the system for further integration by increasing the number of available access points. This upgrade reduces the concern that future devices won’t be able to access the network and proved advantageous with the addition of my rooftop solar PV system.
I also discovered that many smart home devices operate at a frequency of 2.4GHz, which can be incompatible with the 5GHz frequency of many routers. For optimal performance, it is necessary to configure your home Wi-Fi to run at 2.4GHz. This also offers better penetration through walls and other obstacles.
Lesson 4: The integration advantage – As you add more smart home devices, integrating them unlocks a new level of functionality. With my rooftop solar PV system, for instance, I can not only monitor its solar energy production but also optimise the usage thereof. Integration allows me to prioritise non-critical appliances, like the washing machine to run during peak sunlight hours, while also ensuring that critical loads like lighting can be automatically switched on at night and without draining the backup power system.
Lesson 5: Knowledge is power - With an interconnected smart home system, I can monitor my home’s energy consumption and receive alerts if there’s any change or when I reach a usage limit. This empowers me to make informed, data-driven decisions such as when and for how long it is necessary to switch off power to a specific appliance.
I’m excited by how home automation is evolving. The lines between technology and our living spaces are blurring, soon homes controlled solely by human input will be relics of the past. The future heralds intelligent environments that adapt to our needs and preferences, creating a dynamic, personalised living experience. With the country’s power infrastructure changing, connected, dynamic loads will be essential for the grids of the future, enabling smart homes to seamlessly integrate with energy demands. This isn’t some distant utopia; advancements in smart home tech are making it an accessible and affordable reality for many South Africans.
