TECHNOLOGY
Innovation to Suit Your Pocket
A
From budgetfriendly to luxury-class
BY MONIQUE DU TOIT
fully kitted-out smart and green home may not be within everyone ’ s reach , but there are simple innovations available at every price point to suit your needs .
The most basic and oftentimes overlooked aspect of home innovation isn ’ t innovative at all - it has to do with maintenance . Many South African homes were built in a bygone era , when electricity and water were considered to be a non-issue . As a result , many homes are still fitted with water-wasting fittings and electricity-guzzling appliances .
Energy saving light bulbs
By now , most of us are familiar with the marvel that is LED-lighting . Using only 25 % of traditional incandescent bulbs ’ energy , LED bulbs also last up to 25 times longer . Another option is CFL ( Compact Fluorescent Lamps ). Basically a curled up version of traditional fluorescent lights , these use about one third of the energy of halogen incandescent lighting .
Smart ( er ) lighting
In addition to saving on electricity , today ’ s consumer also gets to choose between a wide range of smart lighting solu-
14 MAY / JUNE 2018 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine