a b s t r a c t
Nowadays the concept of intelligent homes and smart technologies are spreading out and becoming a
vital
strategy
to
optimize
the
energy performance. Specially that the internet is available to all our life
aspects
including educational system, health care, banking, commercial, industries, mobile applications,
etc.
The
energy
sector
is
one of the important domains to use the internet in the supply and demand sides.
As
the buildings consume two third of electricity globally, the real-time monitoring, by using the internet,
is
one
of
the
key factors to manage the energy consumption and to optimize the buildings’ performance.
Accordingly,
the buildings’ systems have utilized the information technology’s revolution in the last
decade
in
several
manners.
One
of the very interesting synergies is that developing relationship between
the
energy monitoring and the Internet of Things (IoT) for most of buildings’ sensors, energy meters and
building
automation
systems.
These
new technologies interact effectively with the Smart Home Energy
Management
System. It increases its value and ensures securing tangible benefits. As shown through the
findings
of
this study, the level of buildings intelligence will significantly contribute the improvement
of
energy performance. Not only, the energy demand and the use of energy will be smartly efficient.
As
a
result,
the renewable energy systems in such smart homes will be a cost-effective option and the
probability
to build a net zero energy home becomes materialized and affordable economically.
This
paper
reviews the latest technologies and telecommunication techniques that used in the homes
to
monitor energy performance. It also discusses a case study in Riyadh – Saudi Arabia about smart
home’s
technologies,
and
the impact of using the renewable energy to improve the energy performance
compared
to the energy benchmark. The main focus will be on the smart technologies; interface and
integration
of
the
meters, sensors and monitoring systems with the home energy management system
(HEMS).
The findings of this paper outline that the smart home in practice provides the ability to the
house
to
be
net zero energy building. Especially that it reduces the power demand and improve the
energy
performance by 37% better than ASHRAE standards for family villas sector.