[ad_1]
Over the next decade, homes will become greener and smarter, with wardrobes folding clothes, toilets checking waste, and a space for video calls, a futurologist has claimed.
Tom Cheesewright claims that trends were already pointing towards a more remote, flexible and sustainable life, but the pandemic and lockdown are making it happen faster.
Research funded by Hive found that 88 per cent of people wanted to live in a more sustainable future but 41 per cent didn’t know how to go about making it happen.
There is also a push towards smart homes, with smart assistants, video doorbells and smart lights becoming more popular as people spent time indoors over lockdown.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Mr Cheesewright said: ‘The pressure of the pandemic brought that forward,’ adding that homes are going to change to reflect these trends over the next decade.
These changes will include a rise in ‘smart technology’, including things like smart wardrobes that can iron and fold your clothes, or a medical toilet that can analyse your waste for signs of cancer or other health problems and report back to doctors, according to the futurologist.
And with a greater number of people working remotely, other changes to expect in our homes include ‘Zoom nooks’ with backgrounds for video calls.
Over the next decade homes will become greener and smarter, with wardrobes folding clothes, toilets checking waste, and a space for video calls, expert claims
Tom Cheesewright claims that trends were already pointing towards a more remote, flexible and sustainable life, but the pandemic and lockdown made it happen faster
Pre-pandemic, around five per cent of us were working remotely, and at the height of the pandemic it was over 40 per cent, Cheesewright explained.
‘That level will not be sustained post-lockdown, but I suspect 15-20 per cent of us will continue to work remotely some of the time,’ he said.
The same is true of many other trends, in cinema and media, online retail, grocery shopping, and more – leading to greater online takeup during lockdown.
‘They will show spikes in lockdown and drop back but to levels much higher than pre-pandemic,’ he said, with trends towards smart homes matching this move.
Many homes are already dabbling with smart tech – a trend that was already starting before lockdown – but has since seen a huge spike in demand.
Around 70 per cent of homes already have some form of smart technology, based on the research from Hive, but that might only be one or two items.
‘The benefit comes when we start to see this interconnected ecosystem of smart devices around the home that together can contribute to cutting back on your energy bills,’ Cheesewright told MailOnline.
He added they will also work together ‘keeping your house safe and critically, giving you that bit of extra flexibility.’
‘Like when your alarm system can link to your app, so that when you leave the home your heating and lights go off – except when you want to set it to to make it look like you’re in,’ he said.
There are so many more devices that are likely to become smart in the years ahead, as the cost of adding a connected computer trends ever downwards.
‘Some of these things are likely to be fairly frivolous,’ he said, giving an internet connected kettle as one example, given you ‘still have to fill it manually.’
‘But some things will become as important to us as the washing machine.’
That could include a device like a smart wardrobe that irons and folds your washing for you.
‘Or health devices, like a smart toilet that can watch for signs of cancer and other diseases. In a hundred years what looks smart to us now will seem as basic as a toaster,’ the futurologist said .
Some of this trend towards smarter, more efficient home environments is as a result of the increase in people working from home – spending more time in the property.
Research funded by Hive found that 88 per cent of people wanted to live in a more sustainable future but 41 per cent didn’t know how to go about making it happen
There will be a greater number of people working remotely, leading to changes in the home to reflect this, including ‘Zoom nooks’ with backgrounds for video calls
This change in behaviour, accelerated by Covid, will lead to changes in the nature of homes and the way we use the space, Cheesewright explained.
‘Some people are lucky enough to have lots of space, so in lockdown they have been busy fitting out spare bedrooms as secondary workspaces,’ he told MailOnline.
‘But for many people, space is at a premium, so it’s about creating furniture that can transform the function of a room.
‘I’ve spoken to property companies looking at adding fold-out desks and “Zoom Nooks” to give people a quiet corner with a clean background for video calls.’
If you are going to be working from home long term, there are more fundamental changes needed, he said.
He added that insulation is a major problem, as many British homes aren’t nearly as insulated as a modern office, leading to higher fuel bills and worse carbon footprint.
Noise is also an issue when working from home, for example, ensuring the washing machine doesn’t start during a video call sat at the kitchen table.
Light and ventilation are critical too, particularly ensuring a good supply of natural light and fresh air in the space where you work.
These changes will include a rise in ‘smart technology’, including things like smart wardrobes that can iron and fold your clothes, or a medical toilet that can analyse your waste for signs of cancer or other health problems and report back to doctors
There is also a push towards smart homes, with smart assistants, video doorbells and smart lights becoming more popular as people spent time indoors over lockdown
‘In my workspace I use a lot of smart tech for this,’ Cheesewright said,’ adding that he has a ‘couple of routines on my voice assistant.’
One example is a routine called ‘Warm up the workshop’ which turns on the radiator by his feet if it gets a bit chilly.
Another is ‘Set workshop to presentation mode’ which changes the lighting to darken the background and highlight his face for when I’m giving webinars or TV interviews down the line.
But the very fabric of the building could change, especially for younger people just starting out on their own.
‘Modern Build to Rent properties are a fascinating proposition,’ he said, as they are ‘typically smaller apartments, but offset by lots of shared spaces.’
Workspace is increasingly a critical part of that mix as younger people work flexibly, and often for themselves, a trend that will include working from home.
‘Freelancing is one of the fastest growing categories of work here and in many parts of the world with around 15 per cent of the UK workforce now self-employed.
‘I think this is going to increase significantly in the next couple of decades, so many people will really value having a space to work on their doorstep that doesn’t compromise their personal space at home,’ he said.
For those not in purpose-built properties, he believes there will be a ‘significant market’ for shared suburban workspaces.
He expects this will be somewhere between a coffee shop and a traditional services office, providing a sustainable, cosy space to go and work away from home.
‘Here you can get all the facilities you need, have meetings and calls in a professional environment, but then critically, leave it all behind at the end of the day,’ he said.
Some of these spaces will be in nearby office buildings previously occupied by a single company, others constructed into a large apartment complex.
‘There will obviously be varying levels of luxury, but a gym is often standard now, alongside a variety of other amenities: lounges, garden spaces, cafes, concierge services, chilled lockers for food delivery,’ said Cheesewright to MailOnline.
‘There’s usually some smart tech involved to help you access it all, notifying you of parcels, allowing you to book spaces or call out maintenance, and often control the light, heating and even entertainment in your own apartment.’
This was all happening long before coronavirus hit the world and put much of it in lockdown, forcing a change in the way we work and communicate.
But this forced ‘work from home’ and digital communication had a ‘time warp effect’ on how quickly the change was happening.
‘Things I expected to take decades will instead take years,’ he said, adding that it is particularly true of shifts in our attitude to technology and nowhere less than in older generations.
One big change he predicts is that future homes will actively contribute energy to the grid, generating and storing energy through solar panels and other technology
Light and ventilation are critical, particularly ensuring a good supply of natural light and fresh air in the space where you work
‘Video calling and online grocery shopping suddenly became critical skills, with spending on the latter going up 300 per cent among the over 65s.
‘Once you have mastered technologies like that, you’re likely to be much more open minded to other tech,’ he said.
Likewise, with more of us spending more time at home, there might be an even greater focus on making our homes both more comfortable and sustainable.
‘If your home is also your workplace, then investing in retrofit starts to make more sense, whether that’s insulation, triple glazing, building an extension, or adding smart tech.’
That smart tech could include simple things like bulbs controllable by a smart speaker, or something like a Hive thermostat you can set while out and about.
Exactly how smart, and how sustainable our homes become depends heavily on how old our properties are, said Cheesewright.
‘In an ideal world, the home is completely airtight with no drafts whisking away heat. They’re insulated throughout to a high standard, and all windows and doors are designed to minimise losses,’ he said.
‘This should be the standard for all new builds, and you can achieve this with even old homes, but it can be costly. We need to encourage people to start with small steps.
‘Not everyone can afford to make the changes they would like to, and a rising number of people are renting.’
This is where smart tech has a role to play, he said, doing so by ensuring that we aren’t heating the home when we don’t need to, and only heating the right rooms.
They can also work to ensure ‘we aren’t wasting money with lights and appliances left on,’ he suggested.
This is something people seem to want to do, without requiring government intervention, he said, with a Hive survey showing 88 per cent want to live more sustainably, they just aren’t sure how to go about it.
‘Legislation is likely to come in that sets deadlines on things, as with petrol and diesel cars,’ he said.
‘And taxes will likely continue to be a lever for government to nudge us towards more sustainable behaviours. But for the most part, they should be pushing at an open door.’
People are actively looking for ways to reduce their energy consumption within the home, in line with green legislation coming into force banning sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and ambitious net zero targets set for 2050.
Cheesewright believes that we will increasingly use smart technology to manage energy within the home, but there is a greater awareness required to help us understand the benefits it can have on our home lives and our wallets
‘Video calling and online grocery shopping suddenly became critical skills, with spending on the latter going up 300 per cent among the over 65s
But while there is a desire the Hive survey found that 41 per cent say they don’t know where to start and two-fifths don’t believe the process to sustainable living will be easy.
Cheesewright believes that we will increasingly use smart technology to manage energy within the home, but there is a greater awareness required to help us understand the benefits it can have on our home lives and our wallets.
‘Some of the main barriers to adopting smart tech have fallen. It used to be complicated and expensive, but now it’s simple and affordable.
‘Hive is a great example: its eco-system of solutions to manage heating, lighting and electricity is now helping people cut their carbon footprint in over 1.9 million UK homes.
‘But if we want to hit our net zero goals and live more sustainably as a nation, greater education is required to overcome some of the perceived barriers to adoption.
‘As we edge closer towards an era of mass adoption, people need to know how smart tech will further benefit them not only from a sustainability point of view, but also to their wider lives, be it financially or through added convenience.’
One big change he predicts is that future homes will actively contribute energy to the grid, generating and storing energy through solar panels and other technology.
‘Though the percentage of individual households adding small (sub 4kw) solar installations is only increasing at about 3.6% per year, the next class of installation (4-10kw) seems to be growing much faster,’ Cheesewright said.
It isn’t just solar power that is set to increase, we’re also likely to see more and more people using other technology and taking part in the future energy system, be it smart water tanks, heat pumps, EV chargers and home batteries.’
All this power will be needed to support the smarter homes, especially with our houses becoming ‘one giant computer’.
But while there is a desire the Hive survey found that 41 per cent say they don’t know where to start and two-fifths don’t believe the process to sustainable living will be easy
Cheesewright believes that we will increasingly use smart technology to manage energy within the home, but there is a greater awareness required to help us understand the benefits it can have on our home lives and our wallets
‘Computers are making their way into everything, turning the home into one giant computer – a true ‘machine designed for living’,’ said Cheesewright.
He predicts robotic furniture that transforms to make the best use of space, cheaper robot mops and vacuums, as well as hydroponic systems to supply us with salad.
Americo Lenza, from British Gas, owners of the Hive brand of smart products that worked with Tom Cheesewright on the predictions, said we are approaching a greener future, driven in part by smart technology.
‘From tech that allows you to monitor and track your carbon emissions through one centralised app, to the rise of electric vehicles and homes increasingly having greater control of how they access energy from the grid – consumers are looking for tech that makes everyday tasks not only easier but is also better for the planet.’
[ad_2]
