We hear a lot about decarbonisation of industries or the grid, but one of the biggest changes is happening in the humble home. And it could be massive. Our homes are going all electric right before our eyes and they’re increasingly doing it sustainably, efficiently and smartly. That means lower power bills for one, but […]
Copper Cuts Carbon Emissions in Buildings
Copper is getting a reputation as a “green” metal, but a new study is suggesting it can also help reduce carbon emissions in the construction industry. That’s big news. The building and construction sector globally accounts for roughly 40% of energy and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions a year, while manufacturing building materials and construction are […]
Spotlight On Energy Efficiency
A new report says Australia is doing dismally on cutting energy use, at the ‘back of the pack’ when compared to most of the world. Over nearly a decade starting in 2002 Australia reportedly cut energy consumption by just 1%, way behind places like Europe & Japan……and with even the USA cutting it by 12%. That […]
Australia Gets Smart About Smart Meters
I’m glad to see a new study calling for all Aussie homes to have smart meters installed…..a 100% uptake by the end of the decade in other words. Smart meters have been around since the day dot but really only in a half hearted way. Smart meters—just to remind you—measure energy usage digitally and allow […]
“Wire For Wireless”
I caught up with Ivan Rostas of Stratus Integrated Systems recently, an early fan of Smart Wiring when we still called it structured cabling. He had a great story to tell. Ivan did the Smart Wiring course way back in 2004 and began promoting it on his web site which then caught the eye of […]
‘Germ Fighting’ Stainless Steel Has Copper Advantage
The world’s first anti-pathogen stainless steel that kills infectious viruses, including COVID-19, on its surface is created using significant amounts of copper. Researchers at the University of Hong Kong have created a “new metal” able to reduce 99.75% of viable COVID-19 on its surface within 3 hours, 99.99% within 6 hours, and with no trace […]
Future Is Paved With Structured Wiring
For smart home builders or installers who don’t plan for structured wiring—known as Smart Wiring in Australia—it’s time to ask why? A recent U.S. media post in CEpro says the biggest piece of the future-proofing puzzle lies in structured wiring or Smart Wiring. Namely bundles of cable that connect different rooms and areas within a […]
Smart Cities Need Smart Copper
Smart city technologies in buildings, transport, infrastructure and energy will boost demand for copper, a new snapshot by the Martec Group shows. The new study— commissioned by the International Copper Association—found the total volume of copper in smart city technology is predicted to nearly double from 2.7M tonnes in 2019 to 4.8 M tonnes in […]
Smart Homes Are More Than Technology
Smart homes may be hyped on convenience & high tech comfort, but they could do a lot more . A new study says they could help deliver carbon reductions, energy bill savings and improved system resilience across the country. The authors say that mass adoption of solar energy like roof top panels, battery storage, intelligent […]
Smart Homes to Lift Copper
A soaring rise in home technology to be 1.5M tonnes copper a year market by 2030. New research, commissioned by the International Copper Association (ICA), shows copper use in smart home applications is likely to reach 1.5 million tonnes per annum by 2030. As soon as 2021, copper demand could more than double across the […]
Great Homes Have Great (Wired) Connections
Cut the Cable right? I see that a lot and yes wireless at home offers tons of convenience & flexibility, but it can also mean dead zones & signal drops. Trying to network all those gadgets around your home can get tough. The further you move from your router or put gadgets in areas with […]
How Connected are we?
Last week I attended the CEDIA + Connected conference in Broadbeach , Queensland and heard from some leading industry spokesmen from Australia and overseas. It seems that TV and Entertainment are still the most important focus for families and the new generation of 4K and 8K TV’s are providing some amazing visual experiences . But […]
