Smarter Seats Anyone?

Ni Hao~

Hello everyone? Happy Wesak Day to all the Buddhist and happy holiday to the other races. It's been quite a hectic months for me, as I'm finishing off my project in Taiwan. My client wanted to retrofit the plant's whole cooling system which consist of 10 chillers, 50 cooling towers and all the pumps. Glad that I'd completed it with a bunch of great teams in time. While I was there, I took the opportunity to see how is the Wesak Day celebration in Taiwan. It was an enlighten journey to see how other countries celebrate this holy day.

At the same time, I took a time off at one of their spa centre. It was an amazing experience with all the great service with the surrounding natures. As I was relaxing at one of their living room, I saw some massage chairs in that area. Then it triggered me: Is there a smart chair that can study your body postures and give the best temperature to give comfort to the user's body? I had done some studies and would like to share with you readers some information. Please do comment if you have other experiences.

What Is A Smart Chair?

Mobile technology is changing how people work. There have been studies on the  changing postures in the workplace, which created a new office chair geared for people who juggle multiple devices. The smart chair encourages a sitter to move around rather than hold a single position. If a sitter reclines to scroll on a tablet screen, the core shifts and hugs the lower back, for instance. The arms move like human limbs so that a user’s arms and shoulders remain supported when texting, typing on a keyboard or swiping a tablet.

Is There A Market For It?

Surprisingly the only reason that people who would go for a smart chair is because of the comfort and ease of use. However, other than that, it's actually quite costly and a not-so-good to have since we won't be sitting for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But we won't know what the future might bring, as we have seen in the Wall-E cartoon from Walt Disney. Maybe a smart chair could be a smart essential after all.

Adios~

No Parking??

Com Estas~

How is everyone doing? Hope you are doing as well as I am, or better. I have just came back from the Chinese New Year celebration in Taiwan. It was so happening at there. There were so many fireworks to see, foods to eat, fun things to play and many more. I also managed to take some of photos with the locals. They are friendly and willing to share their thoughts on the foods at their night market.

The place was congested with tourists and locals, trying to buy some decorations for their homes. I also managed to grab some as a souvenirs for my friends & families at home, in Singapore. While I was there, I also managed to go shopping at their malls. It was so crowded that I begin to think how did all these people came here. So I went to their carpark just to have a sneak peek and I was astonished how full was their parking lots. I was thinking, wouldn't it be great if they have a smart parking system? After all, we are in the IoT era.

What is Smart Parking?

Smart Parking is a parking strategy that combines technology and human innovation in an effort to use as few resources as possible—such as fuel, time and space—to achieve faster, easier and denser parking of vehicles for the majority of time they remain idle. It's based on the fundamental ecological principle that we are all connected. Parking and transportation are both essential in the movement of people and goods. The Smart Parking and Intelligent Transportation vision and overlapping technologies are steadily melding into one integrated stream.

What are the Smart features?

The smart parking system can be divided into five major categories: Parking Guidance and Information System (PGIS), transit based information system, smart payment system, E-parking and automated parking. Further discussion on the implementation and characteristic of each of the smart parking system category together with examples of its implementation around the world will also be provided.

Parking Guidance and Information System (PGIS): The implementation of Parking Guidance and Information System (PGIS) encompasses two major categories. The PGIS can either include the entire city area or function only within the car park facility. Setting aside the differences, both the PGIS implemented in many major cities offer similar advantages similar to those of smart parking system as discussed earlier. Both provides information which aids the decision making process of the drivers in reaching their destination location and aids them in locating a vacant parking space within the car park facility. The city wide PGIS is indeed helpful in assisting drivers to car park with vacant parking spaces via the information occupancy status for various car parks around the city as well as other relevant information. On the other hand, guidance in locating the vacant parking space within the car park is ultimately provided by PGIS implemented within the car park.

Transit based information system: The functionality of transit based information system implemented in countries such as France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States is actually similar to PGIS. The difference exist in the fact the Transit Based Information System concentrates on guiding user to park-and-ride facilities. It provides real-time information on the status of each car park and public transportation such as the schedules and traffic condition to the public. The additional information provided enables the patrons to plan for transit in advance without getting into any inconvenience. Among its benefits includes increase in the utilization of public transportation as the primary means of transportation as they can leave their vehicle in the car park and switch to public transportation with ease. This will indirectly lead to an increase in the transit revenue.

Smart payment system: The smart payment system is implemented in the effort to overcome the limitation of the conventional payment methods by revamping the payment method via parking meter and introduce new technologies. This is because the conventional method causes delay and inconvenience for the patrons as they have to deal with cash. It also reduces maintenance and staffing requirement for payment handling purposes as well as traffic control. In general, the Smart Payment System implemented consists of contact method, contactless method and mobile devices. While the contact method involves the use of smart cards, debit cards and credit cards, the contactless method involves the use of contactless cards, mobile devices as well as Automated Vehicle Identification (AVI) tag whereby RFID technologies are utilized. As contact methods requires contact of the cards with parking meter or payment machines in the facility, the latter offers more convenience to the patrons.

E-parking: E-parking provides an alternative for patrons to enquire the availability and/or reserve a parking space at their desired parking facility to ensure the availability of vacant car park space when they arrive at the parking facility. The system can be accessed via numerous methods such as SMS or through the internet. Some of the additional benefits of using the E-parking system aside from those collectively gained by smart parking system are that it can be extended easily to incorporate the payment mechanism of smart payment system whereby payments by the patrons are made hassle free using the technologies discussed previously. Customized information can also be provided to the patrons either before or during their trip to the car park.

Automated parking: Automated parking involves the use of computer controlled mechanism, which allows patrons to drive up to the bay, lock the cars and let the machines automatically place the vehicle in the allocated space. This type of car park offers maximum utilization of space as it is machine controlled unlike conventional car park where space is needed for navigation of vehicle within the car park. Among its benefits are that the implementation works great in locations, where there are limited room for expansion due to its structure. Besides that, the Automated Parking System also offers efficiency in car storage as it allows car stacking and the patron does not even need to go into the car park which indirectly provides extra safety measures which covers both the vehicles and patrons.

Benefits of a Smart Parking?

Smart Parking involves the use of low cost sensors, real-time data and applications that allow users to monitor available and unavailable parking spots. The goal is to automate and decrease time spent manually searching for the optimal parking floor, spot and even lot. Some solutions will encompass a complete suite of services such as online payments, parking time notifications and even car searching functionalities for very large lots. A parking solution can greatly benefit both the user and the lot owner. Here are some of the top benefits:

• Optimized parking – Users find the best spot available, saving time, resources and effort. The parking lot fills up efficiently and space can be utilized properly by commercial and corporate entities.
• Reduced traffic – Traffic flow increases as fewer cars are required to drive around in search of an open parking space.
• Reduced pollution – Searching for parking burns around one million barrels of oil a day. An optimal parking solution will significantly decrease driving time, thus lowering the amount of daily vehicle emissions and ultimately reducing the global environmental footprint.
• Enhanced User Experience – A smart parking solution will integrate the entire user experience into a unified action. Driver’s payment, spot identification, location search and time notifications all seamlessly become part of the destination arrival process.
• New Revenue Streams – Many new revenue streams are possible with smart parking technology. For example, lot owners can enable tiered payment options dependent on parking space location. Also, reward programs can be integrated into existing models to encourage repeat users.
• Integrated Payments and POS – Returning users can replace daily, manual cash payments with account invoicing and application payments from their phone. This could also enable customer loyalty programs and valuable user feedback.
• Increased Safety – Parking lot employees and security guards contain real-time lot data that can help prevent parking violations and suspicious activity. License plate recognition cameras can gather pertinent footage. Also, decreased spot-searching traffic on the streets can reduce accidents caused by the distraction of searching for parking.
• Real-Time Data and Trend Insight – Over time, a smart parking solution can produce data that uncovers correlations and trends of users and lots. These trends can prove to be invaluable to lot owners as to how to make adjustments and improvements to drivers.
• Decreased Management Costs – More automation and less manual activity saves on labor cost and resource exhaustion.
• Increased Service and Brand Image – A seamless experience can really skyrocket a corporate or commercial entities brand image to the user. Whether the destination is a retail store, an airport or a corporate business office, visitors will surely be impressed with the cutting edge technology and convenience factors.

Conclusion

The various types of smart parking system and has been presented. From the various examples of the implementation of the smart parking system being presented, its efficiency in alleviating the traffic problem that arises especially in the city area where traffic congestion and the insufficient parking spaces are undeniable. It does so by directing patrons and optimizing the use of parking spaces.

With the study on all the sensor technologies used in detecting vehicles, which are one of the most crucial parts of the smart parking system, the pros and cons of each sensor technologies can be analyzed. Although, there are certain disadvantages in the implementation of visual based system in vehicle detection as described earlier, the advantages far outweighs its disadvantages.

Arrgghh..Please Close The Window Blinds!

Gong Xi Fa Cai~

The Chinese New Lunar Year is arriving. I was in Singapore for a business meeting regarding green building project and the decoration has started. Seeing so many red lanterns hanging around the cities brings the celebration mood. Just when we had ushered into the new 2018, we will have another great festival to celebrate.

While I was window shopping at the Chinatown, there is this shop selling traditional curtains. I was flipping around the curtain catalog when there was this page showing "Smart Curtain: the next IoT". I was surprised that they are also selling the latest technology for curtains as well. Talk about competition. So I am planning to share what I've learned so far in this post and hope it can help some other people to make decision about their homes and curtains.

What Is Smart Curtain?

Basically a smart curtain is just making it autonomous. A single controller unit works with one set of horizontal curtains. Using an associated smartphone app, you can schedule or immediately close or open one or multiple sets of curtains. You will also be able to configure how far curtains should be opened or closed for partial or gradual movement. The controller components attach behind the curtain at each end of the rod or rails and to the middle curtain hooks. A wire extends between the sides and middle of the window to physically pull the curtains open or closed.

Usually a full complement of multiple smart curtain controllers (usually 15 units) can be installed on a home network. The curtains can be controlled with a smartphone app or with If This Then That (IFTTT) recipes, the standard for integrating and controlling internet-connected smart home devices. 

Some of the application for a smart curtain control system include connecting bedroom curtains to a smart phone alarm clock, automatically opening and closing curtains at sunrise and sunset, and closing curtains automatically when everyone leaves the house to conserve cooling and heating energy. The latter works with geo-fencing, which detects people’s locations via their smartphones. Another application of smart curtains is to have them open and close at random times within defined ranges to give the impression the house is occupied while you’re traveling or on vacation.

Where Can We Get It?

Imagine there's a way to automate your existing horizontal curtains in the blink of an eye. There's no need to purchase an entirely new and expensive rails system and there's no complicated and time-consuming installation. Some brands are a retrofit smart curtain system that works with your existing curtains. It only takes two minutes to set up. Thanks to its wireless connectivity and integration with smart home platforms, we can install it ourselves or get the help of the professionals. We can still move our curtains by hand manually. We can order it online or by visiting some shops such as the one I mentioned in Singapore.

Is It Worth The Investment?

There are a few advantages and disadvantages in using smart curtains. I have listed some of them, so you may have a look and add-on if you have more ideas.

Advantages:

- Convenience. The smart curtains feature will be programmed to your needs.

- Customization. You can include as many or as few of these products as you choose.

- Ease. It’s quick and simple to install these systems.

- Environmentally friendly. Curtains can be controlled for optimal energy efficiency.

Disadvantages:

- Cost. Smart curtains can be fairly expensive.

- Learning. There may be some learning curve for non-tech savvy people.

- Reliability. Smart curtains are reliant on your internet connection.

In the end, it's all boil down to the end-user such as us whether we want to put some some features into our homes or leave it as it is.

Do We Need A Smart Fan?

Dia Dhaoibh~

How is everyone? I am sure all are preparing for the New Year countdown. I had just came back from Guangzhou, China for a seminar on the green technology. I was fascinated by how far they had advanced and committed to have green environment for their cities. If you had gone there, you would see that they are not using any cash (cashless communities) and most of them use the bicycle as transportation. They also have renewable energy installed for their buildings and the streetlights.

While I was strolling through the park, I went into a recreational cafe for some drinks. When I stepped inside, I was astounded by the way they had make this place such a relaxing view. The best part was the ceiling fan was not turned on when I was about to make my way to the entrance door, but once I'm in, the fan just automatically turned on. Well, I know that these is nothing new but somehow it makes me think: How does an automatic fan work and is it necessary?

What Is An Automatic Fan?

We've spent time fiddling with the thermostats and with good reason: climate control is one of the most popular points of focus in today's connected living space.

But thermostats aren't the only things in the house working to keep the climate in check. We've got ceiling fans, too. And while they obviously don't offer whole-home cooling like our air-conditioning system does, they do offer room-specific cooling at a fraction of the cost. Adding in smarts to help us use them more effectively would seem to make a lot of sense.

Doing so could be as easy as installing smart switches to turn our fans on and off at specific times, or when the temperature rises to a certain level. But how about the all-in-one approach, with sensors and radios built directly into the fan itself? There aren't many options like that, but there are a few -- and they sure don't come cheap.

What Is The Market Available?

There are a lot of competing technologies and industry standards in the smart home space currently, including Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Apple HomeKit. Most only work with one protocol, although some of the newer products use multiple standards.

One of the largest manufacturers of ceiling fans is Tennessee-based Hunter Fan Company. They’re also the first company to offer ceiling fans that work directly with Apple HomeKit. The company’s line of Symphony and Signal ceiling fans contain both Wi-Fi and Apple HomeKit technology. In doing so, the fans are controlled inside a home with an included handheld remote or from anywhere in the world through mobile devices.

Haiku, a division of Kentucky-based manufacturer Big Ass Solutions, also offers smart ceiling fans, using an in-house technology called SenseMe. First introduced in 2014, SenseMe allows you to control or schedule both the fan and its built-in LED light from your mobile devices. Haiku products aren’t compatible with Apple HomeKit. However, they do work with some of the other big names in home automation including the Nest Learning Thermostat, Amazon Alexa, and the ecobee smart thermostat.

If you’re not in the market for a new ceiling fan, but still want to control your existing fans remotely, you’re in luck. You can add smart ceiling fan control to your current set up relatively inexpensively using one of the following solutions.

The Z-Wave Smart Fan Control from GE replaces any standard in-wall switch to control a ceiling fan remotely. It also features a three-speed control system and integrated LED indicator light, which allows you to locate the switch in a dark room.

The Insteon Hub Pro Advanced Central Controller provides another Apple Homekit-compatible solution for ceiling fans, courtesy of the dual-band Insteon Ceiling Fan and Light Controller. The biggest drawback with this solution is that it only works with AC motor-powered ceiling fans. Ceiling fans with DC-motor and built-in remote control motors are not compatible.

Worth The Purchase?

The obvious problem with these smart ceiling fans is that they're all pretty expensive. You need to install the fan and download the app onto your phone and connect with each one of them. The idea is that you'll use the app to program your fan and teach it how best to keep you comfortable. Do a good enough job, and your fan should be able to anticipate your needs, allowing you to leave your phone in your pocket.

So, back to my original question -- are smart ceiling fans worth it? Well, if you are already planning on buying a thousand-dollar ceiling fan to help tie your living room together, then sure, it's worth it to make that fan a smart fan. When looking for a solution, make sure the product can become a part of a larger home automation system for your home. By doing so, you can improve the likelihood that your product won’t become obsolete in the not so distant future, thereby saving you time and money.

Is There Any Smart Air-Conditioning?

Aloha~

How is everyone's weekend? The holiday season is near and I can see many shopping malls are jamming with people. I'd just came back from a shopping spree with my family and I can see many sales are coming up, especially when the Black Friday" had just passed.

I thought that those bricks & mortar was getting killed by e-commerce but still they are able to attract many tourists and locals. While I was there, I'd observed that the environment was neither cold nor warm. I'm sure that the building's air-conditioning system must be working very well. At that time, I was wondering if the air-conditioning in our house are smart enough to give us comfort.

What is Smart Air-Conditioning?

Smart air conditioners are air conditioners that are connected to the internet and are thereby controllable through your smartphone, both inside your home and outside. It’s just one of the many appliances to join the ‘Internet of things’ – appliances connected to the internet for maximum controllability and convenience. Why ferret around for that air conditioning remote stuck down the back of the couch, when you can just pick up your smartphone and fine-tune any and all settings on your air conditioner? Smart air conditioners afford you that luxury, and it’s an exciting step forward.

Is There Any Market?

So, what can you actually do with a smart air conditioner? It varies of course model-by-model, but the general key features of smart air con are:

• Smartphone app to access all settings
• Controllable temperature and fan speed settings
• Controllable timer
• Control settings away from home, so you can come home to a frosty house after a day out

Think of it like a remote thermostat. If it’s a stifling-hot day, the last thing you want to do is come home to a hotbox of a house. With remote controllability through your smartphone, you can press a few buttons while still in the office or your workplace, and come home to an adequately-chilled home fine-tuned to your exact specifications.

Not only this, if you forget to turn the air con off before leaving the house, you can just fire up your smartphone and turn it off to prevent nasty electricity bills. 

Some brands are ahead of others, and there is a great range of smart air conditioners out there. Look for brands like LG, Mitsubishi Electric and Samsung to offer some innovative smart air conditioners. Generally, companies put most of their time and effort into developing split system air conditioners. Not only does this result in split systems being – most of the time – the best option for the house, but it also makes split systems the best bet for having a smart air conditioner. With the great range out there, chances are there’s one that’s right for you.

Who Benefit From This?

The short answer is – it varies. One thing’s for sure, though, is that you’ll be paying a premium for a smart air conditioner over a regular one with a standard remote control. Expect to pay about MYR4,000 or more for one. Granted, a lot of smart air conditioners are rather large in capacity and are suitable for a big room or lounge room. If you’re the type who wants maximum control over your air conditioner at all times, it makes sense to go for a smart air conditioner with a smartphone app. However, if you just like to put on the air conditioner while watching TV or chilling out we suspect a standard air conditioner will be sufficient – and you’ll likely save a few bucks.

We also suspect that it’s a ‘you don’t know what you’re missing til it’s gone’ type deal. That is, once you go for a smart air conditioner, you might not want to go back! In that instance, we say it’s definitely worth the money. Smart air conditioners are a great addition to the ‘smart’ landscape, but be prepared to pay extra for it.

Brands Review

Home air conditioning methods take many forms, from centralized systems that control the entire home to single units mounted on a wall or in a window. Floor units are also becoming popular thanks to their portability. For now, there aren’t a lot of companies offering smart air conditioning systems. Of those who are, the products aren’t yet available everywhere.

Below are reviews for some of the brands available in the market. You may check it out for yourself and see which suits you the most. 

Smart Place To Study

Ni Hao~

How is everyone's doing? Hope you guys had a great holiday plannings as the season is near as always. For me, it had been a tedious months as I was having seminars and business trips. I'd just came back from Copenhagen, Denmark for an energy management seminar and it was a great eye opener.

The country is beautiful and the people there are friendly. The best part was that I'd visited their library, The Royal Library. I understand from the locals that the "black building" is called Black Diamond. Nice name for a great structure. I was wondering if we have any smart library or study area just like smart building? Hmm..

What Is A Smart Study Room?

When it comes to getting work done, nothing matters more than having the right space to do it. Having a study room that speaks to your thoughts and gets your cogs turning is great for helping you work better, faster, and stronger. So, whether you’re off at college, a corporate raider, or in your first apartment, a smart study room can get you thinking and doing a lot more.

The concept of the “smart rooms,” which were formerly called equipment group study rooms, were implemented as a place for small groups of people to meet up and work on projects. The rooms are originally each equipped with a PC, a Mac, a television and a lectern (an overhead projector-like device), which are meant to provide the users with various means to finish their work. Additionally, both the Mac mini and PC use a wireless mouse and keyboard for ease of use throughout the entire study room.

The smart study rooms also use smart technology to ensure that there is no trespassing in the study group rooms, by use of a wireless key card lock. The locks on the smart study rooms are innovative since they require less construction due to the card readers being wireless. 

How To Make One?

There are many ideas to make a smart study room, but the most important is that it suits your environment type. People say that a quiet place filled with serenity is the best for innovation to take place. I couldn't agree more. Here are a few ideas that we can use for a smart study room.

Explorer Of The Mind - Does thinking about all of the possibilities in the world spark your creative mind? Perfect because one of our study room ideas uses a map (or maps, if you prefer more) to get you pondering everywhere that life could take you – if you focus up and complete your current studies. Best if those maps are in digital display.

The Window To The Mind - Nothing like a nice, big window for natural light to get you stewing on your studies. You could choose to face the window for a relaxing view or put your back to it, like in this study, to enjoy the natural light warming your entire room. 

The Artful Office - Who doesn’t love a pretty picture every time they look up? Art of a style of your choosing can be placed up on your study room’s walls to keep you inspired every time you glance upwards away from your projects. Creativity is never further away than a tilt of the head – as long as you aren’t the easily distracted sort.

Is It Worth The Money?

There are a lot of ideas of how to make a smart study rooms, but all these come with a price. There are some low end and high end for this infrastructure. The decision still lies on the consumer's thinking of whether it's worthy or not.

Time To Dry Those Clothes!

Kamusta ka~

How was everyone's weekends? I am sure everyone is having a very bad day, especially in Malacca, Malaysia. I know because I was there during the Friday flood. It was terrible and lucky for me, I did not stay in the area that was affected. One of my partners stayed in Renainsance Hotel and she complained about how high the water level. When I saw the picture in the social media, then only I understood her frustration.

I can't imagine the massive traffic congestion caused by this flash flood. We were supposed to have a technical discussion with one of the local industry at here but were postponed due to the flood. As we were travelling back to Singapore, I saw most of the clothes were hanging outside of the houses. The laundry shops were also packed with people. Maybe there should be a new technology device that can help these locals to dry their clothes from inside the house.

What Makes It Ticks?

A clothes dryer can be found a lot in the western countries but you don't often see them here in the Asia Pacific. If you understand a little bit of the science behind drying your clothes, you'll find you can do your laundry a whole lot more quickly and economically. So what exactly is involved in turning wet clothes back into dry ones? In a word, evaporation: turning the liquid water in your clothes into a vapor (gas)—and then getting rid of it.

The diagram below is what we call a phase diagram: it's a simple way of showing how a particular substance will be either a solid, liquid, or gas depending on the temperature and pressure. At high temperatures, you can see that water is going to be gas (steam) unless the pressure is high too; at low temperatures, water is generally going to be ice, unless the pressure is low. The diagram also shows us that you can heat solid ice or liquid water to make water vapor (gas) and squeeze (increase the pressure on) liquid water or water vapor to make ice.

How To Dry Efficiently?

If you tend to use your clothes dryer more often than not, it’s important to choose the most energy efficient model that’s suitable for your household. If you’re looking to purchase an electric clothes dryer, choose a model with at least a 2 star energy rating. The star rating is shown in the red band at the top of the label and can range from 1 to 6 stars. The more stars, the more energy efficient the clothes dryer will be and the lower its running costs. 

The following tips can help you to use your dryer more efficiently.

• Clean the filter before each use.
• Keep the surrounding area ventilated to minimise humidity.
• Don't mix heavy and lightweight clothing together.
• Dry several loads one after the other to make use of the heat in the machine from the previous load.
• Don’t overload the dryer.
• Dry all of your washing on an outside line whenever the weather is dry.
• Consider a heat pump or a gas dryer, especially if you use your clothes dryer frequently.
• Look for models with auto sensors that can help you to avoid over-drying.
• Leave a window open when drying, or even install a venting kit, as this will expel moist air directly outside.

Types of Dryers

Combined Washer - Dryers : As their name indicates, these machines are a clothes washer and dryer in one. Be sure to look out for the two energy rating labels on combined washer dryers, as these labels detail the efficiency of the product as both a washing machine and clothes dryer. Note that their load capacity for drying clothes is only about half of the load capacity for washing clothes. These machines are an ideal option for households that are short on space.

Heat Pump Clothes Dryer : These clothes dryers use a heat pump to produce hot air, and operate similarly to reverse-cycle air conditioners when heating. These machines are highly efficient, as they condense moisture from being expelled and recover heat to dry the load. Heat pump dryers use less than half the energy of conventional electric clothes dryers, and are worth considering if you use an electric dryer frequently.

Gas Clothes Dryer : These clothes dryers use gas to heat air, and therefore need to be connected to a gas supply. Although they are more expensive to purchase upfront, their running costs are much cheaper as they operate using natural gas. Gas clothes dryers are a good option for households that use their dryer frequently.

How Much Does It Cost?

Moisture sensors have been used in dryers for years and are more accurate than thermostats in determining when laundry is dry. Advanced moisture sensors are one way a dryer can earn the Energy Star, and heat pump technology is another. Unlike washers, dryer manufacturers have fewer variables to manipulate to improve energy efficiency. So it’s low heat and longer drying times or higher heat and shorter drying times.

Energy efficient dryers have EcoBoost mode that uses about 40 percent less electricity, but take 112 minutes to dry out 12-pound load. That’s 38 minutes longer than the regular mode. Your energy savings will vary by the size of the load and what you’re drying. 

Energy Star says that you can save about S$20 a year in electricity compared to the dryers you’ll see in stores that meet the minimum efficiency standard. But the longer drying times mean that more air is moving from your home through the vent to outside—air that you may be heating or cooling at a cost. So depending on where you live, the location of the dryer in your home, and the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems, your savings could be quite a bit less.

Upsides & Downsides?

There are a few pros and cons of using an energy efficient dryers. But I'll list down the best and the worst for you to make your judgement when making a purchasing decision.

PROS

• Convenience - Energy Star Labeled appliances are very convenient, because they perform better than other standard models. For instance, a washing machine can wash more clothes while using less water proportionally.
• Impact on the environment - Actually, the energy performances is the main reason why some appliances are awarded with the Energy Star label: their impact on the environment is a lot less than the Energy Star appliances are not as bad for the environment. They have a smaller water consumption and electricity usage.
• Energy costs - Studies demonstrate that Energy Star appliances can reduce energy usage (and thus utility bills) by as much as 50% and as low as 25%. That’s a lot more money in your pocket at the end of the year.

CONS

• Selection - If you’re opting for eco-friendly, energy-cautious appliances, your selection is bound to be smaller, which can be annoying to some people.
• Initial price - Energy Star appliances are more expensive to purchase than their non-labelled counterparts, though they will save you money in the long run.
• Repairing cost - Because they make use of a smarter technology, Energy Star appliances can be trickier to repair than standard appliances, which means that a technician will spend more time repairing them.

Summary

Energy efficient dryers will generate a good return on investment in the long run, because they will definitely save you money as months go by. The money you will save on utility bills will eventually pay out the initial cost. Energy efficient dryers are easy to find – you probably have one, you just don’t know how to use it.