From smartphones to smart cars, technology is transforming virtually every aspect of our busy lives. Technologies not only make life easier while on the go, but new options are quickly simplifying life at home as well. Home automation is proving to be a top home improvement trend, making the Jetsons futuristic lifestyle more realistic than ever before.

Some experts are predicting 2014 will be the year of the smart home, but what does that mean to the average homeowner? The term smart home refers to a house with technology and automated features for things like heating, lighting and electronic devices. Automation is becoming the new norm in three main areas of the home.

1. Energy management and environmental impact

A homes heating, cooling and electrical systems can be enhanced through home automation technologies. Boosting comfort levels, these technologies make it easier than ever to monitor energy and water usage, helping to reduce a familys environmental footprint as well as their energy bill.

Imagine turning your lights on remotely or adjusting the heat so your home is toasty warm by the time you return from work. Home management systems like the Iris Comfort and Control Kit let you access and adjust comfort controls from your smartphone, tablet or computer. Monitor and control lights or the thermostat from anywhere with Internet access, making it easy to save energy while away. You can even add water leak detectors to plumbing spaces within the home and receive an alert if the sensor comes in contact with water, helping you to react faster to reduce property damage and water waste.

2. Streamlining the kitchen and cooking processes

The kitchen is the heart of the home, so its no surprise that this area is getting a makeover thanks to technology enhancements. From basic motion-sensing faucets that eliminate the need for touching them with messy hands when cooking to appliances that think for you, the kitchen is a key component of a smart home.

For example, todays dishwashers clean faster and more efficiently than ever, thanks to technology that assesses soil levels and adjusts cleaning intensities. Ovens now come with sensors that evenly heat dishes, eliminating the need to rotate pans or use baking stones. Refrigerators even come with options that allow you to rapidly cool or freeze foods when they need to be brought down to a lower temperature quickly for food safety purposes.

3. Safety and security of a property

Security systems have never been more interactive, and new options are surprisingly affordable for homeowners looking to take the first step toward upgrading to a smart home. The Iris Safe and Secure Kit is an inexpensive option that includes motion sensors, a keypad, and door, window and cabinet sensors. A novice DIYer can install the entire system in about an hour.

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At Home: 3 ways smart technology is changing the home

Things may soon be heating up at Union City Hall.

The personnel, finance and public works committee Monday is recommending the approval of an approximate $400,000 bid for a new heating and air-conditioning system to replace the current boiler system.

Lakebrink Heating and Air Conditioning submitted the only bid to be the general contractor for the new variable refrigerant flow system.

City Administrator Russel Rost said the new system would replace an antiquated HVAC system installed piecemeal over several years.

It would eliminate a hodgepodge of systems used over the years, he said.

The new system would provide heat in areas that are not temperature controlled now, including the auditorium and the city clerks office.

One of the reasons we selected this system is because it is energy efficient, said Rost. Even with cooling the auditorium, we dont expect to increase our energy costs the energy cost will be a wash even with the addition of the huge amount of volume.

He added that the city clerks office is heated with space heaters.

The variable refrigerant flow system would eliminate the need for natural gas at city hall, Rost said.

Alderman Dustin Bailey questioned if the new system would allow for expansion of city hall.

See the article here:
HVAC System for City Hall Given Nod

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Lenna Allen

Lenna Allen began her writing career for her college newspaper in 1999. Allen is a marketing specialist and freelance writer for several online publishers including eHow.com. Allen holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication and digital technology from Washington State University.

A ductless heat pump is a great option for homes that don't have a duct work system already installed. This type of system will also be beneficial when a new addition is added to a home, as a ductless system is much easier to install than any other type of heating and cooling option. This type of heat pump is also known as a mini-split heat pump, and its good for efficiently heating and cooling rooms.

Decide where the opening for the conduit will be on the exterior of the home.

Prepare the area for a concrete slab. Make sure the area is clear of shrubbery and other structures. This should be at least one foot away from the exterior of the home, and it should measure at least two feet by four feet. This may be larger, depending on the size of your unit. Ideally, the slab should be at least six inches bigger than the unit on all sides.

Spread gravel over the area that has been cleared.

Prepare and pour the concrete over the gravel. The base should be four inches thick.

Place the unit on the concrete slab with the connectors facing the house.

Make a three inch hole in the exterior of the home, so the wires can be connected to the house. Choose a location nearest to the conduit.

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How to Install a Heat Pump in a Ductless System | eHow

Access was reportedly given to help power savings, but network wasn't properly isolated from consumer data

It's said that for every $100 USD spent at retailers via credit card, 5 cents is lost via digital fraud. The holiday hack of Target Corp. (TGT) reminded Americans that this problem was far from solved. And with new details leaking out from the U.S. Secret Service investigation there's cause for concern that the Target data loss could be just the tip of the iceberg in the attack.

I. Wal-Mart, et al. Revealed to be At Risk

The latest twist in the saga surrounding the massive credit card data loss should make other retail/grocery chains, including Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFM), Trader Joe's Comp., and the nation's #3 warehouse retail chain, BJ's Wholesale Club, more than a bit nervous.

According to sources of Washington Post security researcher Brian Krebs -- the first member of the media to catch wind of the breach -- the hackers had a little help from an insecure third-party. They reportedly struck via first compromising servers at an air conditioning business in Sharpsburg, Penn, whom Target used as a contractor. The firm -- Fazio Mechanical Service -- has a flashy portfolio of high-profile clients which includes not only Target and all of the aforementioned retailers/grocers, but a number of other large firms that Mr. Krebs and other early reports have not mentioned.

This latest news emerged after Reuters and The Wall Street Journal quoted Target executives last week as saying that the breach occurred via a compromised third-party contractor. Digging around on Fazio's clients page, which remains active following Mr. Krebs' post, I found that the list of high-profile clients doesn't stop with the three other companies Mr. Krebs mentioned.

It is unclear why Mr. Krebs didn't notice these other even bigger clients, but clearly that discovery illustrates his comments are even more important than they sounded based on his shorter list.

These clients helped Fazio to earn the distinction of being the largest heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) commercial sales and repair company in the western Pennsylvania area. Fazio had service centers in Pennsylvania, as well as outposts in nearby states, including Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

It appears increasingly likely that Mr. Krebs' sources are correct -- there was a breach at Fazio that led to a breach at its client (Target). Fazio President Ross Fazio confirmed that he received a recent visit from the Secret Service in connection to the ongoing Target investigation.

II. Timeline of the Attack Emerges

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HVAC Firm at Center of Target Data Breach Also Counts Wal-Mart, Costco as Customers

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Gainesville Times

"We have no access to natural gas in our neighborhood, so we had oil heat," says Nadig. "The price of oil has gotten extremely high and we found ourselves keeping the thermostat fairly low."

Nadig started to investigate geothermal (or ground-source) heat pump systems to help them stay warm in the winter - without paying a lot of money on their oil bill.

Quickly realizing the energy saving benefits, as well as the environmentally friendly aspects, he opted to install a system from ClimateMaster (www.climatemaster.com/residential).

"The geothermal saves us money and we can keep the house at a nearly constant temperature," says Nadig, whose system went live about a year ago.

Nadig is just one of the many Americans who are replacing conventional oil, natural gas and electricity-based heating and cooling with geothermal heat pump systems, and the demand for these systems is only expected to grow, on a global scale, over the next decade.

"There are more than 1 million of these units in U.S. homes today, which means an increasing number of homeowners are recognizing the benefits of this system in controlling their energy bills for life, and essentially declaring their energy independence," says Raj Hiremath, marketing director at ClimateMaster.

Geothermal, or "geoexchange," systems work on the simple principle of regulating indoor heating or cooling by using the consistently moderate temperatures just below the earth's surface. While outside air temperatures may vary wildly depending on where you live, the ground temperature just a few feet down stays relatively stable.

Geothermal heat pumps take advantage of this by moving heat through water in underground pipes to make it either warmer (in the winter) or cooler (in the summer) inside the home. The result is comfortable year-round indoor temperatures.

See the article here:
Geothermal systems provide energy independence for more homeowners

NEW CUMBERLAND - With security, heating and cooling improvements to the Hancock County Courthouse completed, county officials are turning their attention to a new roof for the courthouse annex.

In January, the county was awarded a $97,600 grant from the West Virginia Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority to replace the roof, insulation and coping on the 1968 annex.

Hancock County commissioners expect to receive official word of the award from WVCFIA Executive Director Melissa Garretson Smith on Thursday. The grant comes at an opportune time for commissioners, who are overseeing a series of capital improvements to the aging courthouse.

"It's great news," Commissioner Dan Greathouse said.

Before the roofing work can begin, however, commissioners will have to solicit bids for an architect to do design work, said Robert Vidas, executive director of the county's Office of Technology and Communications.

Vidas said workers from Kell's Heating & Air Conditioning, of Chester, recently completed work on the courthouse's heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. The project cost came in over the original Kell's bid of $58,320, he said.

The HVAC systems in the old stone courthouse, which dates back to the 1920s, were in need of upgrading because of their age and high maintenance costs. The new system will make heating and cooling more efficient for the section of the courthouse that houses Circuit Court Judge Martin Gaughan's courtroom, the assessor's office and clerk's office, Vidas said.

The county courthouse is actually a two-building complex that includes a three-story annex, completed in 1968, that is connected to the old section via a walkway.

An architectural assessment of the courthouse done by Silling Associates, of Charleston, in 2012 included a recommendation that the HVAC system be overhauled. Commissioners also are addressing other suggested improvements contained in the Silling report, Vidas said.

Probably the most visible improvement is the recent completion of a new security system for the newly redesigned courthouse entrance. Starting Monday, courthouse visitors will have to submit to metal detector screening before they can enter the building.

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County eyes additional courthouse improvements

NEW CUMBERLAND-With security, heating and cooling improvements to Hancock County Courthouse completed, county officials are turning their attention to a new roof for the courthouse annex.

In January, the county was awarded a $97,600 grant from the West Virginia Courthouse Facilities Improvement Authority (WVCFIA) to replace the roof, insulation and coping on the 1968 annex.

Hancock County commissioners expect to receive official word of the award from WVCFIA Executive Director Melissa Garretson Smith on Thursday. The grant comes at an opportune time for commissioners, who are overseeing a series of capital improvements to the aging courthouse.

"It's great news," Commissioner Dan Greathouse said.

Before the roofing work can begin, however, commissioners likely will have to solicit bids for an architect to do design work, said Robert Vidas, executive director of the county's Office of Technology and Communications.

Vidas said workers from Kell's Heating & Air Conditioning, of Chester, recently completed work on the courthouse's heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. The project cost came in over the original Kell's bid of $58,320, he said.

The HVAC systems in the old stone courthouse, which dates back to the 1920s, were in need of upgrading because of their age and high maintenance costs. The new system will make heating and cooling more efficient for the section of the courthouse that houses Circuit Court Judge Martin Gaughan's courtroom, the assessor's office and clerk's office, Vidas said.

The county courthouse is actually a two-building complex that includes a three-story annex, completed in 1968, that is connected to the old section via a walkway.

An architectural assessment of the courthouse done by Silling Associates, of Charleston, in 2012 included a recommendation that the HVAC system be overhauled. Commissioners also are addressing other suggested improvements contained in the Silling report, Vidas said.

Probably the most visible improvement is the recent completion of a new security system for the newly-redesigned courthouse entrance. Starting Monday, courthouse visitors will have to submit to metal detector screening before they can enter the building.

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State grant allows for courthouse roof replacement

One of the city's very first landmarked buildings is getting nearly a complete interior renovation before the Staten Island Museum moves in later this year. NY1's Bree Driscoll filed the following report.

An ornate, four story staircase is the only original item inside the Snug Harbor Cultural Center building dating back to 1879 when it was a place of rest for weary mariners.

"It has been a feat that you can turn what used to be a dormitory for sailors into a world class museum," said Staten Island Museum COO Cheryl Adolph.

Snug Harbor became a city, state and federal landmarked site in 1965, with help from the Staten Island Museum. Now the museum is relocating there while keeping its smaller location near the ferry terminal.

It's a move almost 50 years in the making.

"We are a smaller museum in New York City but we have been around just as long as almost anybody has been. So we are an old time museum that we are a general interest collection. So we do art, science and history. There is no other museum that does that," said Staten Island Museum Director of Exhibitions and Programs Diane Matyas.

Right now the space is filled with drywall and flooring but it is quickly being transformed into Staten Island's first "green" historic landmark. It's using the earth's natural temperature to keep things comfortable for museum-goers.

"There are 30 wells almost 500 feet deep to do this super ecological heating and cooling," Adolph said.

Organizers say it is an exciting time to be on Staten Island's north shore.

"We are really proud that we are going to help anchor this site as a cultural destination especially in light of the New York Wheel coming," Adolph said.

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Staten Island Museum Plans Move Into Historic Digs

The south wall of the city's new Lumberworks parking garage is grim and barren, a concrete outline of the three stories of parking bordered by a jumble of power transformers and switching devices.

But by the end of the decade, much of that wall should be a tapestry ofvines and plants, a literal "green wall."

The city is installing a green wall that will provide environmental as well as aesthetic benefits for the garage that sits between O and N streets near the viaduct in the West Haymarket.

The green wall, like a green roof, is designed to slow and cool rainwater as it heads for nearby streams, said Dennis Scheer, a landscape architect with Clark Enersen Partners.

And that is a good thing for the health of streams and rivers,particularly in urban areas where concrete has replaced the bare earth that helped slow down and cleanse rainwater in the past, he said.

The plants also help filter pollutants out of the air. That is particularly helpful with a garage, where the photosynthesis of the plant material will help remove the carbon from exhaust fumes, and release oxygen, Scheer said.

A green wall will also help to cool the building itself, protecting it from the suns heat, said Wayne Mixdorf, parking manager for the city.

Research has shown that these theoretical assumptions are true and that green walls have environmental advantages, Scheer said.

Green walls aresometimes calledbiowalls,ecowalls, vertical gardens or living walls. However green walls and living walls are actually two distinct kinds of walls, Scheer said.

Living walls generally are interior walls covered with living plants and used in conjunction with the heating and cooling systems of buildings to purify, or better filter, the air.

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Green wall to grow from new parking garage

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