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2021 has been a sobering year for anyone concerned about climate change. We’ve witnessed record temperatures being set in Russia, the ‘Heat Dome’ in the Pacific Northwest, the devastating wildfires in Greece, and the catastrophic flooding in China, Central Europe and following Hurricane Ida in the US. This is a serious reminder that there is still a long road ahead to achieve our climate goals. Climate change is our collective responsibility – and the good news is that we can make positive change happen if we put our mind to it..
At Schneider Electric, we are working to make revolutionary and innovative smart and sustainable home solutions available to as many people as possible – to empower them to slow down and even reverse climate. Smart homes are going to play an integral role in reaching our net-zero goal, we must provide home builders and homeowners with the right technologies and solutions to help fight energy loss and energy waste responsible for climate change.
Here is a small preview of what I’m most excited about this year – and proud of have received four CES 2022 sustainability and leadership awards for:
Smart Homes
At the start of the year, we see a lot of smart home innovation catalyzed by CES – the biggest and most impactful consumer electronics show in the world. I can’t wait to see some of the most innovative and sustainable smart home ideas and feel inspired about what is possible moving forward. Here at Schneider Electric, we’re focused on the power of smart homes and their importance when it comes to sustainable living. The global COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of remote working has brought about a cultural shift in how we view the role of the home to act as a catalyst for positive change. The world is talking about sustainability more than ever and part of this is smart home solutions and their importance to our net-zero goals.
We know homes are a considerable contributor to global emissions today, which is a constant reminder that we have a lot to do, to make real inroads to achieve our climate targets. The good news, there has never been more significant support and desire to tackle the climate crisis from policymakers, businesses and consumers. We know people want to make a positive impact, so we need to empower them to do so by putting them in the driver’s seat when it comes to sustainable living. With the technology available, it’s time for home builders and homeowners to invest in it and make net-zero a reality.
Wiser Energy Centre
There will be plenty of technology to get excited about at CES this year; we’re thrilled to announce the latest generation of the Wiser Energy Centre, anchored by the Square D Energy Centre in the U.S. It helps meet the global sustainability goals of the future for the home, conveniently providing smart, safe and resilient power. Consumers now have full control over how energy is produced, stored and distributed in their homes. They can also switch from utility to alternative power sources – including battery, solar, or generators – to enhance energy resiliency, optimize energy usage and reduce costs.
The Wiser Energy Centre empowers homeowners to have smarter and more sustainable homes. It’s monitor and control capability allows users to reduce their home’s energy consumption and electrical heating and cooling costs up to 50%. That’s not all, it also has new features that allow homeowners to optimize non-utility energy resources in the event of an outage. Its new functionality creates a virtual critical load panel for each backup power source, maximizing available power until utility power is restored. We are committed to addressing the growing demands for sustainable smart home solutions and I’m proud that the Wiser Energy Centre will play a part in this.
Merten and Odace Sustainable ranges
It is becoming apparent that we need to focus more on taking care of the planet. We have come a long way and our market-leading Merten and Odace Sustainable ranges made from upcycled ocean fishnets and recycled materials will continue this journey Both delivered in sustainable packaging, eliminating non-recyclable material – will empower customers to take one step closer to achieving net-zero goals.
Schneider Electric is the first company to offer recycled ocean plastic solutions that create a truly functioning circular economy. Customers in select markets are now able to contribute to the reduction of ocean pollution by choosing sustainable products – including switches, sockets and frames – without compromising on durability and style. The abandoned or lost fishing equipment makes up around 10% of the plastic waste in our oceans. Our new Merten ocean plastic models contribute to reducing the 640,000 tons of fishing nets left in the ocean each year and are the first step in making this range of products more sustainable.
We know we all must do more to achieve our net-zero goals. As more and more homes are powered by smarter and more sustainable technology such as our Wiser Energy Centre, we have an opportunity to put homeowners and builders in the driver’s seat when it comes to sustainable living. We hope to pave the way for even more sustainable innovations in the electrical solutions industry and spark inspiration and innovation later this year and for years to come. We take pride in enabling and sharing innovation with our partners and communities in which we operate. Helping them make progress every day and from the comfort of their homes