[Video] Take a Peek Into a Day at a Net Zero Home in a Smart City

By generating and using energy efficiently, a Net Zero Home aims to eliminate carbon emissions from the home to create a more sustainable way of living. Samsung Electronics has been working diligently with partners to lead the new era of the Net Zero Home in countries around the world including the U.S., South Korea and Sweden.

One of the company’s most recent projects¹ includes the Brobyholm smart city near Stockholm, Sweden — in which Samsung is joining hands with industry leaders to create a smart, energy-efficient residential community based on energy independence.

▲ Samsung is providing Net Zero Home solutions to the Brobyholm smart city in Sweden. The goal is to build a 2,000-home smart city near the Stockholm area, with approximately 500 homes set to be available in 2025 and sold sequentially until 2028.

Generating and Storing Energy From Dawn to Dusk

As soon as the sun rises in the morning, an energy-efficient home begins producing and storing energy using advanced solar panels and storage batteries. On clear, sunny days, the smart home system switches on the air conditioning or heating in advance — to save energy later on in the day, once the sun sets or the weather becomes overcast.

Using Samsung’s integrated and expansive multi-device ecosystem SmartThings, users can seamlessly control their home appliances and smart home devices. AI Energy Mode on SmartThings Energy helps users effortlessly save energy throughout their home by automatically optimizing energy usage of appliances.

▲ SmartThings Energy gives users the ability to easily monitor their home’s energy production, storage and usage.

Smart Energy Management Away From Home

Homeowners no longer have to worry about leaving their pets home alone on hot summer days. SmartThings will automatically turn on the air conditioner and lower the blinds to keep indoor temperatures cool and prevent strong sunlight from entering the house — allowing furry friends to stay comfortable inside. Additionally, home sensors can detect if a window is left open and alert users accordingly to avoid unnecessary energy waste.

Before leaving their home, users can preload their laundry into the washer and set it to run later. After the start button is pressed, SmartThings will determine when energy usage is lowest² in the day and automatically start the cycle. As such, users can manage their energy usage even when they’re not at home.

▲ SmartThings Energy enables smarter, more efficient energy usage by taking into account various factors such as energy production, outside temperatures, peak energy usage times and more.

Wind Down With SmartThings

After returning home from a long day, SmartThings Cooking allows users to easily prepare meals by sending a recipe’s cooking settings straight to the oven. When tidying up after dinner, SmartThings will automatically start the dishwashing cycle at off-peak hours² to help cut costs. Before settling down for the night, users can enjoy a warm shower using pre-heated water from the morning’s surplus energy while SmartThings’ Bedtime Routine automatically adjusts the lights and home appliance settings to create an optimal environment for a restful night of sleep.

▲ SmartThings allows users to control their home appliance and smart home devices while SmartThings Energy provides users with insights into their home’s energy production and consumption.

With SmartThings Energy, users can view how much energy their home produces and uses as well as other in-depth energy analytics. From laundry to cooking, SmartThings encourages users to complete their household chores using the energy produced by their homes. Samsung is making homes smarter with SmartThings and empowering users to take steps to create their own Net Zero Home.

¹ Some of the features depicted in the video will be implemented in 2024.
² The function to run appliances at off-peak times will be supported through an update in the first half of 2024 for the U.S. and major European countries including the U.K., France and Germany.