Singaporeans are famous for using technology to get smart in many ways, from catching a bus to going to the doctors. Increasingly, they also benefit from technology in what is considered the most important part of the everyday life – the home life. One of the ways in which smart technology benefits Singapore home re
Singaporeans are famous for using technology to get smart in many ways, from catching a bus to going to the doctors. Increasingly, they also benefit from technology in what is considered the most important part of the everyday life – the home life.
One of the ways in which smart technology benefits Singapore home residents is energy savings. “Smart technologies such as our i-bus KNX system and smart home automation system allow more efficient energy usage as well as provide remote access via mobile devices with an app. On top of that, CCTVs and energy usage trends can also be monitored via the same app,” said John Tan, Key Account Manager at ABB.
Sensors and the data they generate can benefit both home residents as well as the government in formulating future policies. For example, a report by Engadget cites the Yuhua estate, where thousands of sensors have been installed to provide residents with feedback on their behavior, helping them to use less electricity and water – the latter is a real issue given that Singapore still imports tens of billions of gallons of water from Malaysia each year. The government, in turn, is able to aggregate this data, using analytics and computer simulation to improve the planning, design and maintenance of public housing estates, the report said.
At the same time, Singaporeans are constantly faced with the need to multitask in their daily life, and increasingly they rely on smart technology to do more with less. “Singaporean citizens and residents have been facing increasing demands in day-to-day life, and this has resulted in an even greater push for efficiency than before. For example, Singaporeans citizens need to juggle different aspects of their lives, such as their work and domestic duties. Smart technology has helped to bridge the two, for better management of each,” said Shermaine Koh, Director of Marketing and Communications at igloohome, a manufacturer of smart locks.
“For example, they could be at work, and need to let their part-time cleaner in to tidy up the house. They can now easily grant access to the cleaner even while still they are at work. And for greater peace of mind, they can set the validity period of the access, so that the property remains secure after the cleaner has left,” she said, adding this technology can benefit property managers as well. “If you're a property manager, you can easily refer to a dashboard for a quick overview of hundreds of properties, rather than physically check each property one-by-one.”