In recent years, extreme weather phenomena have become more frequent in people’s lives, which poses a great threat to the sustainable development of the earth. According to an article published in Nature in August, extreme heat is occurring almost simultaneously around the world. Among them, the temperature in some parts of India in March has exceeded 44℃, the hottest period is much earlier than in previous years; In mid-July, the United Kingdom also refreshed the high temperature extreme value, which appeared the first 40 ° C on meteorological records. According to a survey by British polling company Ipsos MORI in November, 40 percent of respondents are currently most concerned about environmental issues such as pollution and climate change, ahead of COVID-19 and Brexit.

At present, countries and related enterprises around the world are accelerating the pace of carbon reduction actions in order to control the upper limit of global warming within the target range of 1.5 ° C of the 2015 Paris Agreement, so as to mitigate the adverse impact of climate warming. A recent survey of global consumers by Schneider Electric also showed that more than half of respondents believe that individuals should take more responsibility for climate change, rather than relying on companies or local governments. 86% of consumers believe individuals should play a greater role in tackling climate change. The survey also quizzed consumers on issues such as home energy management, with nearly 90 percent believing that climate change will lead to higher energy bills if global temperatures rise by more than 1.5°C. Together with other living costs that have risen, managing energy consumption and costs is a fundamental driver for consumers to take action and invest in smart sustainable solutions.

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Consumers are looking for smart home devices that improve the energy efficiency of their homes

Jaap Ham, associate professor of industrial engineering and innovation sciences at the Eindhoven University of Technology, who was a consultant on the report, said: “With rising energy prices, the cost of living set to be higher than ever, electrical appliances in homes and the number of electric vehicles on the road on the rise, home energy management has become one of the biggest issues facing consumers, homebuilders, businesses and governments around the world.”

While 55 percent of respondents believe net zero emissions from their homes are important to tackling climate change, they are not optimistic about the difference they can make, with less than a third believing they can achieve net zero emissions from their homes. Therefore, people need to change their mindset and take positive action to make their homes more sustainable with modern home energy management technology, so that the future is truly in their hands.

The research data also shows that when we adopt smart digital solutions to address energy management and consumption, as well as replacing fossil fuels with smart, clean electricity in home energy use, our efforts to build a healthier planet are evident. In addition, we should take into account the comfort of life while making a contribution to the environment.

As a result, consumers want to live sustainably, making home energy efficiency their top priority. Nearly half of respondents believe smart home technology will help make their home more sustainable, and 54 percent expect their new home or residence to be equipped with smart home devices, a 13 percent increase from the 2020 study. Some consumers have already seen the benefits of smart technology and integrated it into their lifestyles, and they are willing to invest more in improving the energy efficiency of their homes. It is worth noting that intelligent lighting and intelligent temperature control are more favored by consumers and are the top three smart devices purchased at present.