The world today faces many challenges. In particular, the pandemic has become a cause for us to back on the various challenges we’ve faced in the past, the biggest issue among those pertaining to the environment.

As a result, consumers have become more aware of the impact their choices are having on the environment and are practicing eco-conscious activities in their daily lives to compensate. This is especially applicable at homes where we spend most of our time. Consumers want home appliances that help create a sustainable home life.

In response to these consumer demands, Samsung Electronics introduced Bespoke Home Appliances in 2019, which includes not only customizable design and function but also sustainable solutions. Since its launch, Bespoke home appliances have received great reviews¹ from consumers and the industry and have expanded to more than 50 countries worldwide.

Now, we are taking that vision one step further to create the ultimate sustainable home experience. By combining SmartThings-based connectivity with the energy efficiency technology of home appliances, we are planning to become the No. 1 energy efficiency brand, expand sustainable efforts through meaningful collaborations and provide solutions to realize a Net Zero Home.

Vision of No.1 Energy Efficient Home Appliances

As the first step in bringing our sustainability vision to reality, Samsung Electronics is developing products with the goal of being labeled No.1 in energy efficient home appliances in the world.

As consumers’ lifestyles evolve and demands become more diverse, Samsung home appliances have also improved in performance and efficiency every year to meet those needs. However, improving the hardware of home appliances is only a part of our long-term vision. It is important to also consider ways to make new technology continuously more usable, creating more value for the users.

As such, this year, we introduced a new smart home service that can maximize the synergy among home appliances called Bespoke Home. At the center of this, SmartThings Energy monitors the energy usage of connected home appliances and automatically switches on AI Energy Mode, when needed, to save energy.

As we strive to become the No.1 in energy efficient home appliances, combining high-efficiency products with SmartThings Energy has proven to be very effective. Consequently, by the end of next year, nearly all home appliances will be Wi-Fi enabled allowing consumers to continuously reduce energy usage with ease. This also means that in the future, all Samsung’s home appliances will have AI-based energy saving functions built-in.

Sustainable Future Through Meaningful Collaboration

Secondly, Samsung Electronics is collaborating with other companies in search of sustainable solutions.

As evidenced by Bespoke appliances and SmartThings, intelligent synergies can have a significant impact on progressing our efforts. As such, in helping us reach our lofty goals for the future, we have sought out partnerships with companies that have similar sustainability goals.

With internationally recognized eco-conscious clothing brand Patagonia, Samsung Electronics has taken on the problem of microplastics being emitted into the sea. Sharing our expertise and know-how in clothing materials and washing technologies, we have developed new solutions that can reduce microplastic emissions from laundry.

To increase the effectiveness of this effort, the microplastic emission reduction course developed by Samsung Electronics and Patagonia will not only be available in new products released in Europe but also to existing products through software updates within the year.

The Ultimate Sustainability Experience with Net Zero Homes

Thirdly, Samsung Electronics is developing the ultimate sustainable home that can generate its own energy and reduce carbon emissions.

Through cooperation with Qcells, a complete clean energy solutions company, Samsung Electronics had developed the Net Zero Home. Inside, SmartThings plays a pivotal role in the efficient control of various devices including air conditioners, home appliances, to even the blinds. Furthermore, SmartThings Energy works together with the solar energy solutions of Qcells to present a blueprint for a house that can self-produce, store and efficiently power itself.

With the combined efforts of Samsung Electronics, Qcells and SMA, we will be able to create sustainable homes both domestically and internationally.

Samsung Electronics is also implementing a variety of carbon-neutral projects that can reduce the negative impact on the environment to make the vision for a sustainable future a reality. Specifically, this has meant switching to renewable energy that reduces carbon emissions such as solar energy and investing in wind power generation.

Samsung is improving lives through innovation, and with it, opening the way to a sustainable future. At a time when we face complex challenges in the world, we want to expand our vision to a wider range of areas to help. Samsung Electronics will continue to make efforts to provide sustainable solutions from production to logistics, use and disposal.

Come join us at IFA 2022 to learn more about our goal of becoming the number one energy efficient brand and how smarter, more efficient appliances are helping to bring to reality our vision for a sustainable future.

¹ In 2020, Bespoke appliances received a gold at the International Forum (iF) Design Award, the silver award and Best-in-Show honors at the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) as well as the NYCxDESIGN Award in the Kitchen product category. In 2021, the Bespoke refrigerator was selected as an honoree at CES 2021 in recognition of Bespoke’s creative use of design in offering users a way to easily personalize their appliances.

“At CES 2022, we outlined how Samsung will contribute in tackling some of the world’s most pressing environmental and sustainability issues,” said Hyesoon Yang, Executive Vice President and Head of Customer Experience of the Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics. “Collaborations to combat microplastic pollution; helping consumers reduce their energy consumption; cutting back on waste by using recycled plastic; and adapting eco-conscious packaging, these are some of the activities we are working on to develop various tangible solutions for environmental problems and a sustainable future.”

Technology To Reduce Pollution

In a newly announced collaboration, Samsung is coming together with American clothing company Patagonia. As unveiled at CES 2022, this collaboration will promote environmental sustainability by addressing the issue of microplastics and its impact on the ocean environment. Patagonia CPO Vincent Stanley shared his thoughts during Samsung’s keynote speech on the significance of this collaboration and the direction it will take, calling it an example of how companies can “help turn the tide of climate change and restore nature to health.”

Patagonia is well-known for its commitment to innovative materials that lessen harm to the planet. The clothing company continues to help Samsung in multiple ways, including product testing, sharing its research and facilitating an introduction to the NGO Ocean Wise. Samsung has been researching features designed to help overcome the negative impacts of microplastics.

Also, the Bespoke Water Purifier was recently certified by NSF International in the U.S. for its ability to filter out particles that measure as little as 0.5 to 1 micrometer, which include microplastics. This makes Samsung one of the first manufacturers of water purifiers to receive this certification.

Saving More Energy and Encouraging More Eco-Conscious Energy Use

To contribute to better energy usage and to support sustainable living, Samsung has also partnered with Q CELLS to establish a new Zero Energy Home Integration¹ feature for SmartThings Energy. This feature provides production and storage data from solar panels and energy storage systems to help users establish energy self-sufficiency.

SmartThings Energy monitors power usage of consumers’ connected devices and recommends energy-saving methods based on their usage patterns. Partnering with Wattbuy in the U.S. and Uswitch in the U.K., SmartThings Energy allows users to switch over to the most cost-efficient energy provider in their area.

Ramping Up Use of Recycled Plastic

Samsung will also increase the amount of recycled plastic that is used in its home appliances. To this end, it will expand the use of recycled plastic from the interior components of its appliances to the exterior elements as well.

Samsung is set to raise its goal for recycled plastic utilization in its home appliances from five percent in 2021 to 30 percent in 2024. This is an increase from 25,000 tons of recycled plastic in 2021 to 158,000 tons in 2024.²

In addition, Samsung has also developed a new type of polypropylene recycled plastic for its washing machine tubs. Using discarded polypropylene and polyethylene from items such as used lunchboxes and facial mask straps, the company has created a new type of recycled resin that is more resistant to external shocks.

More Sustainable Packaging

Samsung is also expanding its use of eco-packaging to encompass a larger lineup of products, including home appliances such as vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, air purifiers and more. This will enable consumers to repurpose the boxes their products came in.

The expansion was first launched in Korea in 2021 and will be introduced to global markets in 2022.

For more information about Samsung’s eco-conscious initiatives, please visit Samsung.com.

¹ Available from the first half of 2022 in the U.K., the second half of 2022 in Germany and 2023 in the U.S.

² Based on weight of final components

Thanks to extensive growth of its partnership network, SmartThings Energy is growing into a smart energy management solution able to encompass the energy consumption of every appliance in a home, and even integrates such newer, renewable energy sources as solar.

Read on to learn more about this innovative new service and how it is empowering consumers to make smart decisions that reduce both their energy bills and their carbon footprint.

SmartThings Energy: The Smart Way to Manage Energy Usage

SmartThings Energy’s core capability is its ability to monitor and analyze the energy used by devices and appliances connected to the SmartThings platform. Users are provided with a comprehensive view of how their devices use energy so they can take control of their energy consumption and reduce their monthly energy bill.

Not only can the service be harnessed to automatically switch appliances to low energy mode and prevent appliances from running when no one is at home, the service can also notify you when your energy consumption exceeds monthly targets. SmartThings Energy can also use energy billing system information, including peak time rates, in order to help you adjust your energy usage and subsequently minimize energy costs.

Available in Korea, India, the U.S. and the U.K., SmartThings Energy currently supports most Samsung Home Appliances and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) products. In the future, SmartThings Energy is set to expand into more regions and support compatibility with a range of Works With SmartThings (WWST) 3^rd-party partners.

Fostering Partnerships for More Powerful Smart Energy Management

When developing their smart energy management solution, Samsung envisaged SmartThings Energy as a way to empower users to be able to control the way energy is used throughout their homes and make smarter, greener decisions at home.

“We are pursuing partnerships with major energy providers around the world to provide a comprehensive view of energy consumption through SmartThings Energy,” noted Chanwoo Park, Vice President and Head of IoT Business group at Samsung Electronics. “We believe that through these partnerships, SmartThings users will be able to make more informed choices about their energy consumption that will not only save them money but also help them lead a more eco-conscious lifestyle.”

These partnership efforts kicked off with two major agreements recently announced in Korea. The first, made with Korea’s largest electric utility company, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), will provide energy usage information from KEPCO to SmartThings Energy for users who have given consent, meaning that users will have access to information about their entire homes’ energy consumption beyond just those devices connected to SmartThings. This service will be available for users in Korea starting later this year.

This development will set the groundwork for allowing whole home energy monitoring with Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI), or smart meters, through SmartThings Energy in regions around the world.

The second agreement, announced in early July 2021, is a partnership between SmartThings Energy and Q CELLS, a global leading solar manufacturer. Under this agreement, SmartThings Energy will be able to connect to Q CELLS’ solar modules, energy storage systems, and energy management systems. Once this solution is available, users will be able to monitor and control how they generate, save and use solar power, optimizing their energy consumption for both cost efficiency and sustainability.

The SmartThings Ecosystem: Working Together for the User and the Environment

SmartThings Energy is one of the latest services available on the SmartThings platform, which currently consists of such handy smart solutions as SmartThings Cooking, Clothing Care and Air.

When such solutions and services come together with Samsung’s range of leading intelligent home appliances, mobile and wearable devices and other lifestyle products, users can not only customize their lifestyles in ways that prioritize a more sustainable future, but also enjoy optimal convenience and efficiency in their routines, home management and more.

The introduction of the SmartThings Energy platform as a complement to the existing SmartThings ecosystem and associated devices is the next step in the journey towards totally personalized and sustainable living. Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for the latest news about SmartThings Energy and the SmartThings ecosystem as it continues to grow.

A zero energy home is one that becomes energy self-sufficient by only utilizing energy that is drawn from the home itself. This self-sufficiency is achieved by both producing energy through renewables like solar, and reducing energy consumption through utilization of more efficient devices.

Under this new partnership, the two companies will work towards establishing new solutions in which Samsung’s SmartThings Energy service is connected to Q CELLS’ solar modules and energy storage systems (ESS). This solution would allow homeowners to produce and store their own energy, then harness the SmartThings IoT platform to monitor and automatically optimize energy consumption in their home appliances and heat pumps (EHS, Eco Heating System).

For instance, the solution could automatically switch home appliances that are connected to the platform to energy-saving mode at night or on cloudy days, when solar energy capture levels are low.

Speaking about the new partnership, Jaeseung Lee, president and head of Samsung Electronics’ Digital Appliances Business, said, “We look forward to our collaboration with Q CELLS expanding our presence and strengthening the Samsung brand in global markets. We anticipate great synergy between Samsung’s smart home appliances and SmartThings platform, and Q CELLS’ solar energy and storage solutions.”

Q CELLS CEO Hee Cheul (Charles) Kim added that, “We expect the partnership between these two Korean companies to provide our global customer base with even more competitive energy solutions. We are hopeful that synergizing with Samsung Electronics will help strengthen our leading position in the global residential energy market.”