The ramifications of the COVID-19 outbreak are being felt all across the world, with a significant majority of professional workplaces being forced into isolation and working from home. Closure of ‘non-essential’ businesses is forcing many more workers to self-isolate in their homes.
With many of us adopting this work-from-home regime for the first time in our careers, there are many pitfalls we could fall into – increased heating & electricity costs, food shortages and water bills. There are a great many unknowns about the coming months, but it is essential that your home be as efficient as possible – and why not make it work for you, while you focus on the important aspects of your life.
In the lead up to the launch of our new service, The Green Network, we wanted to list out 5 products that could drastically improve your home’s efficiency and save you money and time in the long run.
5. Philips Hue
Your home’s lighting controlled from your phone or smart assistant. You think you’ve forgotten to turn the bathroom & bedroom lights off, but you’re too engrossed in your favourite Netflix series to get up and check – all with the tap of a button, you can stay settled and your lights are put out.
Not only will you save time and energy by installing Philips Lighting and Smart Switches, but they will also keep money in your pocket every quarter.
Philips LEDs use up to 80% less energy than traditional incandescents while producing the same beautiful warm light you are used to. A Philips LED bulb can last for up to 15,000 hours, which is equal to 15 incandescents. So not only will you have to change fewer bulbs, there will be less waste as a result. Your home is worth investing in – let Philips help. – Philips Hue – Energy Efficiency Report
4. Redlight – Solar LED’s
If you’ve got a bit more time to install and upgrade fixtures (we recommend a professional installation), the Redlight solar LED’s are a fantastic, and efficient, alternative to the traditional light fixture.
These LED’s mimic real sunlight throughout your home – as if you had your own skylight in every room. Plus – some fixtures put out 8x the standard lumens for its standard wattage. Meaning you’ll get much better light for your dollar!
“The 6 watt Redilight has an approximate lumen output of a traditional 50-watt incandescent globe in full sun” – Redlight
3. Smart Powerboard
The ARLEC Smart Powerboard can be installed anywhere throughout your home. We would recommend as a basic step, installing powerboards with individual power switches. However, if you want to embrace smart technology, the ARLEC is for you.
You left the iron on after getting your shirt ready for that client meeting over Skype. Bring up the app and simply turn the power off – preventing you from running out of the meeting or having your house burn down!
As a Bonus – the ARLEC works with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant – once again, you can make someone else do the work for you!
2. The Oomph – Portable Coffee
Due to recent announcements surrounding Public Safety, your local cafe may be in a form of lockdown and/or you may not be able to leave your home. So how would you get your morning coffee kick?
At Green Homes, working from home seems to increase our desire for coffee consumption, however, if we couldn’t leave our homes we would be stuck with sachet’s or instant – that’s where the Oomph comes in. Compress and make your own coffee at your desk, on the go or next to your toaster.
Stop throwing away coffee cups, pods and the like – make your own quarantined coffee! And once your favourite cafe has re-opened, use it as a one-stop Travel Mug!
1. Google Home
A personal favourite of the crew at Green Homes. The Google Home range offers a crazy level of support throughout your home – from turning lights & TVs on, to changing the temperature of your air-conditioner as well as managing your entire calendar.
Set your Google Home up on your mobile and control everything from your mobile remotely. Just like the commercials, it is like having your own personal assistant at a moments notice.
From reading you the latest news, playing new episodes of your favourite podcasts and updating you with the latest traffic report – your Google Home truly works for you.