Photo above by Savant
By Joe Barrett
It might seem that living off the grid and utilizing the latest technologies are mutually exclusive. But today’s smart technology systems allow people to take control of their utilities to maximize their comfort, peace of mind and energy efficiency if grid outages occur or if they are looking for better ways to manage their energy sources and usage.
Climate control – on both a global and local level – is increasingly important to people, who are alarmed by information and images about the state and future of the environment. The good news is that continual advances allow homeowners to integrate technologies into their home to help manage their environment in their homes, which can help positively impact their corner of the world and, in turn, the larger world around them.
Photo by Racepoint Energy
One example is a turnkey microgrid that can be customized to fit any job size or budget. This microgrid is a new smart technology that Barrett’s Technology Solutions is offering through its partners Savant and Racepoint Energy . It’s where transformers meet transformative change.
Essentially, the microgrid technology provides homeowners with energy independence in the event of grid outages, which are becoming more common and a focus of concern for the future.
This form of integrated technology, with Racepoint Energy designing and engineering solar, generator and battery systems and Savant providing energy management and home automation, also gives users the power to monitor energy used by each circuit and manage energy storage systems and any smart appliances.
Photo by Racepoint Energy
Even better and easier: this can be done with an app. The intuitive app allows homeowners to monitor their energy consumption and production, view energy history and set the system to pre-defined modes.
Through this technology, homeowners have dynamic control over their climate, lighting and other electrical loads in a different way than traditional power backup systems.
The result is a rethinking of the ways in which energy is delivered, measured, managed and consumed. The combination of eco-friendly energy creation and customization represents a new kind of home ecosystem and turns consumers into “prosumers.”
We’ve seen and been at the forefront of a lot of exciting home technologies since we started Barrett’s in 1966, at a time when televisions were becoming an important hub of the home. Today, as technologies are evolving in exciting ways, the home can be a catalyst for positive change.
To learn more about integrated technologies and control systems that enable greater sustainability and resiliency, visit barretts.tv/home-automation.
Joe Barrett is president of Barrett’s Technology Solutions, a core member of the NextHaus Alliance.
