Smart Homes of the Future 

On one hand we have what "the experts" think Smart Homes of the future will be like, with 'Intelligent' temperature-controlled bed sheets and shape shifting furniture that changes colour among the incredible innovations that could be ubiquitous in homes of the future. However here at EcoHome we were more interested to see the survey results to find out what your average adult and child thinks.

People are becoming more environmentally conscious and so with that comes forward-thinking ideas to help us move into a smarter future, where we as individuals take more responsibility for caring for our planet. One idea we're in favor of is Modular housing which will mean that people can build their own home adding or removing rooms as and when their situation changes. “As we build new houses, I would hope we’ll have progressed from bricks, to buildings that are modular, eco-friendly, cheaper and faster to build.” said one expert, and we agree.

Smart Homes of the future kitchen
Smart Homes of the future kitchen with in-place food growing

A panel of experts and Smart Energy GB, a campaign for a smarter Britain, have now shared their vision of the Smart E-Home of the future, and statistics which show that seven in ten Brits would like to live in a more eco-friendly home while 83 per cent are interested in technology which would make their homes greener. 

Other future must-haves will include toilets which turn waste into fuel, and a community-based electric vehicle pooling system, which is reality in many North American progressive citys.

From the survey among 2,000 UK Adults and Children.

It was revealed that 70% of adults would like a more eco-friendly home, but 20% don’t know how to go about it and 67% believe it would be too expensive - which is a common perception here in North America also and one EcoHome is working hard to change.

What adults think Smart homes will look like in the Future:

  • Everything will be powered by renewable energy such as solar power or wind power
  • Solar panel paint and solar panel windows to capture the sun’s natural energy to be used within the house
  • Windows that change shade in reaction to external light so you can keep your house warm or cool without having to use radiators or air conditioning
  • Toilets which turn waste into fuel which is then used to heat and provide energy to the house
  • Recycling bins built into kitchen appliances for easier recycling (e.g. in fridges etc)

What Children think Smart homes of the Future will look like:

  • All cars will be battery operated
  • Each house will have a giant battery to store energy from the sun and use it when you need it
  • A system to recycle water in the home such as being able to easily clean a car with old bath water
  • No more light switches – sensors will entirely control lights
  • People will grow all their own food inside the house (though we're not sure UK kids know pizza's and chip's don't grow on trees...)

Interesting insights into what people think Smart Homes will be like, read here what today's Smart Homes are all about - from the EcoHome Green Building Guides