Smart moves: Scots dream of hi-tech help at home

Smart car-charging pads in your garage and windows that tint themselves according to light levels outside feature on the wishlist of innovations people believe would improve home life in the future

Other ‘smart’ systems on the most-wanted list are holograms to remind about tasks, lights that adjust automatically depending on the time of day, fridges and store cupboards that automatically restock with regular shopping items and walls which can block out sound from the rest of the house when needed.

The findings come from a new survey by heating expert Drayton, which asked what people want in their homes in years to come.

In the past five years, households have typically bought three smart tech devices, costing an average of £1,384.

More than 28 per cent of Scottish homes already have a smart speaker, while 10 per cent have thermostats controlled via an app and seven per cent have a smart doorbell.

Results from the new poll show two in five householders in Scotland would install more integrated technology to ‘futureproof’ their homes.

Saving money, increasing home comfort and reducing energy usage were they key driving factors.

“It’s interesting to see what appliances people of Scotland want included in their future home and how most people feel embracing technology is vital to ensure we stay up to date with emerging trends,” said Natalie Wathan, product manager for Drayton.

Scots have said they would invest in more smart tech for their homes to increase comfort, save money and benefit the environment

“While there are already systems out there, such as the Wiser heating system which allows room-to-room control of the heating, technology will continue to evolve and provide us with more benefits for our day-to-day life – offering more convenience and allowing us to be much more sustainable.”

More than a third of those questioned said spending more time in their home over the past year had made them think about investing in more mods cons.

And eight out of 10 in Scotland listed good environmental credentials as an important factor when investing in technology.

Ms Wathan added: “2020 has certainly changed the way we used the home and for many of us more time at home can come with the risk of increased heating and electricity bills.

“Investing in smart technology and developing a tailored approach to how we use each room, - only heating the rooms we are in or having lights on when they are needed - can help reduce energy use and ultimately achieve cost savings.

“As the trend for working from home shows no signs of slowing down, I think more people will invest in smart appliances and at Drayton we will continue to ensure we are developing products which make life easier, more comfortable and help homeowners save money and be more sustainable.”

Other conveniences that made the top 20 wishlist include ovens that allow shelves to be heated to different temperatures at the same time, TVs that recognise who is watching and show the right programmes, shower heads with in-built Bluetooth to allow phone calls while washing, front doors that send a message when your children get home from school and coffee machines that have a drink ready when you want it.

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