You Have a Smart Home

If you’re looking for something fun to do in the Midwest this spring or summer, look no farther than Chicago. Here, you will find a smart house called Smart Home: Green + Wired, which opened on March 4 and will run for the remainder of the year at the Museum of Science and Industry. That’s right, an eco-friendly smart house.

Photo from: http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/smart-home/the-exhibit/

One of the main reasons why the smart house is able to maintain this green-style of living is because of the digital nerve-center technology built within the home that is automatically programmed to reduce energy consumption whenever deemed necessary. There is also an automation system that allows homeowners to control the house’s temperature, lighting and entertainment from touch solar panels.

As described by the Web site, the house “provides examples and ideas for sustainable living with contemporary style and in the harmony with the environment.” The idea behind the smart house is to get attendees to be more conscious about the environment, and encourage more eco-friendly living. This popular exhibit attracted over 200,000 people when it first debuted in May 2008.

Personally, I find this exhibit to be very intriguing. For the past few blog entries, I’ve been writing about events that most people would find to be a part of more traditional Midwestern culture. The idea of a smart house that is environmentally conscious, on the other hand, is distinctive from conventional Midwestern values and customs. I like to see myself as someone who is engaged by eco-friendly ideals. Granted, there are plenty of things to do in Chicago. But it’s not common to see a smart house in the windy city.