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'Intelligent' temperature-controlling bed sheets and furniture which changes shape and COLOUR are among the incredible innovations which will be commonplace in the homes of the future, it has emerged.
The high-tech sheets will mean you never again suffer a sweaty, sleepless night amid a heatwave.
And the AI furniture will also have the potential to change its shape if you want to introduce new items to the room but fear there is a lack of space.
Other future must-haves will include toilets which turn waste into fuel and a community-based electric vehicle pooling system could also be on the horizon.
Hydroponic fruit and vegetable gardens which grow in sand, gravel or liquid INSIDE your house are also likely.
A panel of experts including Carol Vorderman teamed up with Smart Energy GB and Go Ultra Low to paint a picture of the ‘Smart E-Home’ which the team believe has the potential to build a cleaner, greener country.
They also debated the small steps Brits are already taking for a cleaner, greener future, including owning a composting bin, having energy efficient white goods and getting a smart meter.
Also featuring on the panel of experts was Robert Llewellyn the TV actor and presenter of YouTube channel 'Fully Charged', Dr. Ian Pearson, a futurologist and speaker, and Dr Jo Patterson of Cardiff University.
To accompany the eco-home report Smart Energy GB carried out a study on the topic among 2,000 UK adults .
The research was commissioned to reveal potential innovations in engineering and architecture which could transform the future of living sustainably, and the 'smart grid'.
It found seven in 10 would like to live in a more eco-friendly home and 83 per cent said they were interested in new technologies which could help them achieve this.
Dr Ian Pearson said: “Making homes greener certainly won’t mean making them low tech.
''With the Smart E-Home, it’ll be possible for us to entirely redecorate our homes, without buying in new fixtures or fittings.
“Instead we’ll use augmented reality and smart furniture made from reconfigurable materials.
''Our homes will use renewable energy, stored in home batteries, and will make our lives easier.
“Hydroponics, for example, will grow fresh salad and herbs, reduce the number of trips to shops while improving our diet.
“Special LED lighting will provide the colours of light that plants prefer, avoiding waste, and of course smart meters can provide the energy for this lighting when it is cheapest.”
The Smart Energy GB research, conducted via OnePoll, also found despite Brits wanting to live in a greener home, two in 10 admitted they don’t know how to approach it and two-thirds don’t think they can afford one.
Brits' predictions for the future home include a giant battery to store energy from the sun and windows which adapt to light to keep your home hot or cold without the need for heating or air conditioning.
Others anticipate a life where we can live entirely on recycled rainwater, or even have micro-turbines in homes to help generate energy.
Dr Ian Pearson added: “We know electric transport will grow rapidly in popularity, especially now that EV charging points will be compulsory in new-build homes.
“Smart meters and smart charging will support this transition, helping us charge EVs with cheaper, greener energy.
“There might even be instances where you could get paid to charge your car when the power system needs us to use more power.
''This often happens when there is too much renewable energy on the system.''
An additional study of 1,000 children also compared what they anticipate for the eco-home of the future. They also chose the idea of toilets which turn waste into fuel.
Others kids predicted there will be glass domes to capture energy from sunlight and even people living underwater.
And whilst both adults and children think an environmentally and sustainable home won’t be a reality for another 23 years, it’s actually much closer than that.
Dr Ian Pearson added: ''It’s encouraging to see adults will prioritise reducing their energy demand via smart windows, solar panels and paints, and small wind energy harvesters, and then using smart meters to allow any extra energy to be sourced from renewables.”
Robert Cheesewright, director of corporate affairs at Smart Energy GB said:
“Smart meters are bringing the future into our homes today. They’re the first step to being in control of our energy use, of saving money by using energy more efficiently, and helping to create a smart energy grid.''
* Learn how smart meters will pave the way for the future Smart E-Home here https://www.smartenergygb.org/en/smart-living/the-smart-e-home-of-2030
Top 10: What adults think the home of the future will look like:
• Everything will be powered by renewable energy such as solar power or wind power
• Solar panel paint and solar panel windows which can capture the sun's natural energy to be used within the house.
• Windows that change shade in reaction to external light so you can keep your house warm or cool without having to use radiators or air conditioning
• Smart meters that help us manage our electricity use so that we can cut down on energy waste and use greener, cheaper energy
• All cars will be battery operated
• Each house will have a giant battery to store energy from the sun and use it when you need it
• Living entirely on recycled rainwater that is filtered, cleaned and reused within the house
• Toilets which turn waste into fuel which is then used to heat and provide energy to the house
• No more switches - sensors will entirely control lights and appliances as you move around the house.
• Recycling bins built into kitchen appliances for easier recycling (e.g. in fridges etc)
Top 10: What children think the home of the future will look like:
• Everything will be powered by renewable energy such as solar power or wind power
• All cars will be battery operated
• Each house will have a giant battery to store energy from the sun and use it when you need it
• A system to recycle water in the home such as being able to easily clean a car with old bath water
• Smart meters that give us control over every aspect of our electricity use so that we can cut down on energy waste and use greener, cheaper energy
• Recycling bins built into kitchen appliances for easier recycling (e.g. in fridges etc)
• Windows that change shade in reaction to external light so you can keep your house warm or cool without having to use radiators or air conditioning
• No more light switches - sensors will entirely control lights
• People will grow all their own food inside the house
• Toilets which turn waste into fuel
ENDS
