Why You Should Automate Your Home

A smart home may be a foreign concept to many today, but in a few years, it could be just as common as smart phones. Automation is the key characteristic of smart homes. Technology allows us to experience convenience like never before in managing our homes. But like any big change, automation could be a […]

The IoT is going to choke us in e-waste!

The Internet of Things or the Internet of Trash? Look around you. How many obsolete devices can you see? Most of us horde them for a while (it’s a ‘just in case thing’, isn’t it?) until we eventually accept that they’re just taking up space. By then, no-one else wants them either. So what to […]

Wood-Fired Heating in the Age of Climate Change

Can a wood burning heater be environmentally-friendly?

Do you want a wood burning heater? Many people who would say ‘Yes’ emotionally then shy away from them because of their reputation for being polluting, dirty and hard work to operate and maintain. [adinserter block=”11″] Click on any image to start lightbox display. Use your Esc key to close the lightbox. ? But what […]

Breakthrough creates a metal roof cooler than the surrounding air!

A roofing material that REDUCES temperatures!

One of the really big myths is that metal roofs make a house hotter than other roof types. Anyone who has spent time on a tile roof knows that every roof – with the exception of thatched and green roofs, gets hellishly hot. And that heat radiates straight into your roof space and then continues into […]

Print Your Own Future

Last week I wrote a post about how 3D printing was being used to make cheap and practical prosthetic limbs. Whilst that is undoubtedly the best application of the technology I’ve seen so far when it comes to a practical and inspirational use for the relatively new technology, 3D printing is really shaping up to […]

Don’t like the weather? Change it…

CoeLUX is bringing sunshine to the darkest rooms

From now forward, the food that you’ll eat and the clothes you’ll wear aren’t the only things you can get to decide on at the start of your day – you can now also choose your weather! Well, inside at least :) Is it raining for the fourth day in a row? Would you like […]

The Kitchen in a Fridge

A kitchen in a fridge... a solution to a non-existent problem?

Anyone who has lived in an apartment or rental accommodation has had to deal with an inadequate kitchen at some time in their life.  The constant need to work around a general lack of shelf or cupboard space and no space left for a refrigerator. Kitchens also factor strongly into renovations – crafting the room […]

Reinventing the Light Bulb Part II

When the big guns step in...

A new wrinkle has been introduced in the saga of the Wi-Fi enabled LIFX bulb. The Kickstarter campaign has been hugely successful and Phil Bosua, despite having a track record of missing deadlines when it comes to delivery of successfully funded projects seems both genuine and excited about the technology, but thanks to an announcement […]

Reinventing the Light Bulb

LIFX bulb and app

Kickstarting the Enlightenment Kickstarter is a hell of a thing. For those of you not familiar with the site, Kickstarter is a website that allows start-ups, entrepreneurs, artists, inventors and small businesses to crowd fund their creative projects, offering backers concrete rewards in return for their cash. A recent and hugely successful Kickstarter project originates […]

Comparing LED’s to incandescent and compact flourescents

LED bulbs reduce energy consumption by up to 90%

We’ve had lots of feedback on this story and LED technology generally, both here and on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=420079414713725&set=a.242230369165298.76514.156549691066700&type=1&theater The following chart from Design Recycle Inc is worth reviewing: