West Michigan Homes of the Future

The Internet of Things is already moving into our West Michigan homes, with lights, appliances, and even doorbell cameras connected to our phones and computers. But this technology hasn’t finished evolving yet. What will the future bring when it comes to our West Michigan homes of the future?

Replaceable modules: Switch out features of rooms with new appliances, lighting or different materials that slot right into place. Remodeling made easy!

Moveable walls: Need a bigger living room for a party? Push back the living room wall and … done. How about a guest room? Push the wall forward to create a place for the grandparents to stay when they come to visit.

Lighting: Your home will, of course, be full of LED lights that you can control by app, remote, or voice. Sensors will also change the light to match your activity, such as reading, watching TV, or going to bed.

Bathroom: The shower heats up to the exact temperature you want with a voice command, and your smart toilet will flush automatically and is eco-friendly to save you money on your water bill. You’ll even be able to add extras liked heated, scented seats and a self-cleaning function.

Smart entertainment: Your music, TV, lights, thermostat — everything that makes your home comfortable and specifically yours will be handled by control panels placed strategically throughout the house, or on tablets that you can move from room to room. (Let’s hope the tablets will also have a way for you to find them when you put them down and forget where they are.)

Outside: Watering and fertilizing will be programmed to set schedules. Of course, when it rains the sensors will know and shut off the sprinkler system for you.

Shopping: Amazon and other online retailers are already experimenting with drone delivery of purchases. But where will those items be safely deposited once they arrive? Why, on your drone pad, of course.

Power: To store energy for cloudy days, Tesla, the car manufacturer, has developed the Powerwall, a battery that will hold the electricity generated by your solar panels until you need it. It will also prevent blackouts during power outages. In fact, your home should be able to produce as much energy as it uses.

Building materials: Environmentally friendly and designed to insulate and minimize energy output, the building blocks of your home will be cheaper and longer-lasting.

Saving energy, saving the environment, and saving you money: We can look forward to all kinds of innovations coming soon to West Michigan, making our homes healthier, smarter, more cost-effective, and more fun!

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