The Top Smart Home Upgrades to Make Your Home More Efficient
Smart home technology is no longer just a futuristic concept—it’s a practical way to improve energy efficiency, security, and comfort in your home. Whether you’re looking to reduce bills, simplify daily routines, modernise or add value your property, the right smart upgrades can make a huge difference.
In this blog, we’ll cover the top smart home upgrades to consider, how they boost efficiency, and why systems like Loxone, Rako and Lutron are leading the way in seamless intelligent integration.
1. Smart Heating Controls 🔥
Heating accounts for a big chunk of your energy use—so it’s a great place to start.
With a smart heating system, you can:
Set and customise room-by-room temperatures (without the need for manually walking round adjusting radiators)
Heat the rooms you use the most - why heat your spare room when it’s only used when guests are staying?
Create automated schedules
Control heating remotely from your phone
Automatically turn the system off to reduce energy waste when you're not home
Building protection - if you’ve been away for a while and it’s cold, your heating can kick in to stop water pipes bursting in the cold
Loxone’s intelligent heating control learns your routine and automatically adjusts to keep your home comfortable and efficient, without you lifting a finger.
2. Smart Lighting Systems 💡
Forget traditional switches. Smart lighting lets you:
Automate lights based on presence or time of day
Adjust brightness and colour for mood or activity
Save energy with motion detection and dimming
Remove the need to ever press a light switch in your house, your home knows if it’s dark enough for the need to light the room and works out if you’re using the room (based on your preferences)
With a professional system such as Loxone, Rako or Lutron, lighting becomes part of your overall smart ecosystem, working in sync with blinds, music, and security settings for total home automation.
3. Automated Blinds and Shading 🪟
Automated blinds are more than just a luxury—they help regulate heat and light, cutting down your reliance on heating and air conditioning.
Benefits include:
Lower energy usage by reducing heat loss/gain
Added privacy and security when you're away - to simulate presence - see no.5 for more
Integration with light sensors for automatic adjustments (if it’s dark inside, open the blinds)
In an integrated smart home, blinds react to weather conditions, sunlight, or your daily routine—all without manual input.
4. Smart Energy Management 📊
Want to truly understand and reduce your energy use? Smart energy monitoring tools track where and when power is used across your home.
You'll be able to:
Spot high-usage appliances
Identify savings opportunities
Make informed decisions on usage
Loxone’s energy management platform is truly groundbreaking in terms of seeing where your energy is being used in a granular way so you can adjust and automate tasks more efficiently. It also integrates directly with your home control system, such as lighting, heating, audio and security, all in a single app. Giving you real-time insights and long-term trends via the app.
5. Intelligent Security Systems 🔐
Efficiency isn’t just about energy—it’s also about peace of mind. Smart security includes:
Automated door locks and access control (enter your home with a fob or code)
Indoor/outdoor motion sensors
Alerts to your phone for smoke, water leaks, or unauthorised entry
Presence simulation - your system learns your routines and can simulate occupancy whilst you’re away- for example, have you seen the home alone film where he rigs up a party and turns lights on to stop the burglars entering? Your house can do that too (professional systems store all your usage data locally at your property and never get sent to the cloud or 3rd parties)
With a fully integrated system, your security features work together— for example, if someone was to enter your property uninvited, your home will spring into action, lifting all of the blinds, flashing all of the lights, playing a loud siren to deter the intruder and sending you an instant notification.
6. Voice & App Control 🗣️
Control your home from anywhere with a simple tap or voice command. Whether it’s adjusting the temperature, checking who’s at the door, or starting your morning routine, smart control puts you in charge.
Most integrated, professional smart home systems offer user-friendly apps and integrate with assistants like Apple HomeKit, Google Home or Amazon Alexa for added convenience.
Whilst voice assistants are an amazing feature, the systems we have mentioned- Loxone, Rako and Lutron- also work completely locally without Wi-Fi and have local storage, meaning your data doesn’t get sold or stored in the cloud.
💬 “Hey Siri, movie mode on” - turns TV on to Netflix, lights fade down to low brightness and blinds close, you just need to bring the popcorn!
Since most of these services offer Geo-fencing technologies (which can track your phone via GPS), you could have your driveway lights turn on when you approach the drive at night time… automatically.
Ready to Make Your Home Smarter?
At Carter’s Electrical Services, we design and install tailored smart home systems that make your home or business more efficient, secure, and future-ready. We are partners with Loxone, Rako and Lutron. We specialise in Loxone, one of the most advanced, open and flexible systems on the market—perfect for both new builds and renovation upgrades. Rako lighting control systems, are a fantastic UK lighting control specialists. Lutron are global specialists in integrated lighting and blind control systems.
📞 Get in touch today to discuss your project or request a free consultation.
