SDG 13: Climate
Action
Specific Targets: 13.2, 13.3
We could reduce emissions from any fossil fuel produced electricity and reduces emissions by switching away from gas to fully electric. The reality, especially in Hong Kong, is that electricity is being increasingly more dependent on hydro, wind turbines, and nuclear power plants. This could be expanded to a global scale for many coastal cities as well.
The introduction of smart home systems increases power efficiency by preventing any unnecessary electricity time and can be easily integrated into a home build with just a few renovations.
Therefore, it fits into an overall environmentally friendly ecosystem.
Large scaling of these smart home systems would result in a more efficient electrical infrastructure across the city.
This project aims to provide insightful features as to what one can easily do to lower the amount of electricity and decrease overall carbon emissions.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities
Specific Targets: 11.3, 11.6, 11b, 11c
One of the major benefits of using a smart home system is the convenience of practical application. Many cities such as New York, Hong Kong, and others have decided to build up instead of outwards. Whilst we live in our respective micro-habitats, it is worth noting that on a widespread level, smart homes can make all the difference.
One of the major problems with sustainability in Hong Kong is the overuse of ACs when people are not in the room. With smart home systems, motion detectors, and under-volting programs, technology can be used to ensure that these human errors cannot happen again.
Technology holds us responsible for our faults. A community of smart home users can see exponential growth in the overall impact of the city.
You can see some statistics here
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption
Specific Targets: 12.1, 12.2, 12.6, 12a
In an age where recycling has become more mainstream, there are several factors that smart home companies have to take into account. The recyclability of the material and its aftereffects.
When I spoke to the CEOs of smart home start-ups, they ensured me that smart home systems target a branch of responsible consumption specific to this day and age. Nowadays many electrical parts of components can be recycled, and the hardware is produced with recyclable materials.
In terms of the actual consumption, smart home systems limit use of electricity, which in turn translates to an overall reduction of carbon emissions. In order to help facilitate these processes, the introduction of renewable energy has been playing a major part in metropolises. Smart home systems can take the best advantage of this to help appliances reach safe limits to the point where they barely have any effect on excess carbon emissions.
SDG 15: Life on Land
Specific Targets: 15.5
Smart home systems have the potential to reduce electricity usage by 30-40%. These figures are especially true for those living in big cities - the place that tends to be less conservative in their energy expenditure.
Reducing electricity usage by mass change will indirectly reduce the amount of habitat and biodiversity migration by keeping the tropical areas and habitats natural and untouched by new power plants.
With all these factors taken into account, life on land would be impacted drastically. Less carbon emissions means less greenhouse gases and less global warming. This in turn keeps the atmospheres at a safe level and biodiversity would not be effected further - especially not to the extent where animal endangerment would be a widespread problem.