Earth Day is around the corner

April 21, 2011 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment. /Wikipedia/ Now, isn’t it nice to receive an e-mail like that on the eve of the Earth’s Day! It sure feels good, and it’s also good for your wallet. So do your part, participate in your utility’s Eco programs, reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible. Check EarthDay.org for local events and to make a pledge. And of course, don’t forget to install occupancy sensing and dimmers in your home automation systems.

Smarthome reveals INSTEON Energy Display

March 30, 2011 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Not so long ago Smarthome had released iMeter Solo power meter – device that captures current energy consumption by one particular device (or a power strip, if you’d rather measure a few devices at once, like TV, DVD player and the like). But until now there wasn’t an easy way to visualize that data. INSTEON Energy Display changes that with a simple, low cost, RF device you can put on your kitchen counter. INSTEON Energy Display (Item# 2448A2) can display energy information from up to three iMeter Solo’s (current watts used as well as cost and energy consumption per month for […]

People Power brings Skynet one step closer

May 14, 2010 Ruslan Ulanov 0

People Power, a green-tech start-up based in the heart of the Silicon Valley, recently introduced a kit it calls SuRF, for Sensor Ultra-Radio Frequency. SuRF helps connect household appliances and gadgets to a wireless network in your house. “What that means is that you could monitor your microwave, Playstation and coffee machine in real time, check their levels of energy consumption, and make apps to control how they behave. Ultimately, that could lead to substantial savings of energy and money” writes Wired. Or it could lead to a self-aware network of gadgets that will try to take you (the owner) out […]

Onzo unveils appearance of unique energy management tool

December 21, 2009 Ruslan Ulanov 2

Onzo, the global designer of domestic energy management systems, today reveals the images of the hardware components of its smart energy kit; the display and sensor. These will provide consumers with an unprecedentedly wide range of compelling information to help them understand and manage their energy use. The sensor measures and stores data on household energy use, and securely transmits this wirelessly to the in-home display. Commenting on the release of the images, Joel Hagan, Chief Executive of Onzo said: “We are delighted we can now share the appearance of our first products. Their combination of usefulness, ease of installation […]

How to Get More from Your Home’s Lights

June 23, 2009 Ruslan Ulanov 0

Lights are a staple in every home, but that doesn’t mean your switches should be like everyone else’s. With a few simple tweaks, the fixtures can do more simply illuminate your home as a bit of lighting control. They can curb your energy use, evoke ambiance, and protect your home, for example. Here are 10 simple ways to realize your lights’ full potential. Read the rest of the article by Lisa Montgomery on Electronic House magazine’s web site.

DIY Project: Automating porch lights

April 7, 2009 Ruslan Ulanov 7

Most of us, homeowners, are accustomed to a routine of turning the outdoor lights on for the night and turning them back off in the morning. Now remember how many times did you forget to turn those lights off in the morning while rushing off to work? Not so green, huh? How could we fix it? Here are two easy DIY solutions for you…

Going green

March 10, 2009 Ruslan Ulanov 3

Just a couple of weeks ago I have enrolled in a SmartAC program offered by my local utility company – PG&E. What this program is about? It’s about saving energy. This Saturday morning I had a couple of PG&E guys at my place retrofitting my old (but still pretty decent) 4-wire Lux TX1500E thermostat to a new, 5-wire, Honeywell UtilityPRO.