Smart Home: Energy efficiency and quality of living through technology

Digitization is advancing at a rapid pace in all areas – even in our own homes. But does that mean it is already “smart”?

The Smart Home stands for intelligent networking and communication between various devices – from temperature control to room lighting and gardening. In this way, the Smart Home helps us to live more energy-efficiently via app and voice control and improves our quality of living, at all ages.

For a Smart Home to be possible at all, interoperability is required. As a national standards organization, we develop standards and specifications across system and country boundaries – as a common platform for representatives from all interested parties.

When technology makes our lives easier – that is a Smart Home!

Area of work: Home & Building at DKE

DKE

Home & Building at DKE deals with all electrical products and systems that are used in homes, offices and small commercial premises or in adjoining outdoor areas. The focus is on user safety and energy efficiency. The products and systems must also be suitable for use so that the user can achieve the intended purpose effectively, efficiently and satisfactorily.

A high quality of life and energy savings are the goals of Smart Home & Living. With the help of computer-aided systems, home technology, household appliances and consumer electronics are linked together. The user can then easily control and monitor the system, for example via app.

What is the objective of standards and specifications in the field of home & building?

Conserving natural resources is our shared duty. Because not only energy is a scarce resource. That is why sustainability plays an increasingly important role when purchasing electrical products.

The diversity of products offered on the market makes purchasing decisions difficult. How do quality products differ and how can those differences be determined? For consumers, quality means that products are safe in every way. In addition, quality products are characterized by longer service lives, durability and electromagnetic compatibility. The standards in the field of Home & Building covers these topics and thus promote not only the electrical safety of the relevant products.

Where do standards and specifications apply in this field and how do we benefit from them?

Nowhere is more dangerous than home, according to the statistics at least. Most household deaths are still caused by improper use of electrical appliances. The statistics not only include accidents in the bathroom, but also defective electrical appliances. In order for these appliances to support us in our daily lives and not become a safety risk, consumers should always ensure such appliances have a safety sign when making a purchase.

Standards in the field of Home & Building act, not least, as a foundation in testing procedures and certifications because test seals document that the appliances meet the applicable standards and thus the state-of-the-art.

Home & Building has many faces

The continued digitalization and networking of almost every area of human life also results in changes in the home environment that offer new opportunities for living and working. Home & Building is embedded in the efforts to sustainably develop the infrastructure and improve quality of life in urban areas. This includes areas like economics, living and working environments, social environments, mobility support or dealing with authorities. The focus of Home & Building is the integration and use of information and telecommunications technologies in the home environment which allow for a new experiential world and make known activities in entertainment, comfort, energy management, safety and healthcare more efficient or convenient.