Experts unveil innovative vision for transforming home of the future

Chaired by former Tomorrow’s World presenter Maggie Philbin, the panel of energy specialists, a futurologist and a University of Oxford academic, forecast the tech that will transform our lives by 2070.  

Their concepts have been brought to life in a new interactive, shareable 3D model - from homes that create temporary extra spaces to biometric door locks and robotic gardeners - giving an incredible sneak peek into the houses of tomorrow. 

To make the most of the technology we can expect to find in our homes, the panel said Britain must use energy in a more flexible way. They highlighted smart meters as key to enabling our homes to respond to our changing needs, helping us to integrate renewable energy and making the home of the future exciting and affordable to run.  

It comes as research, commissioned by Smart Energy GB, revealed that nearly three quarters of Brits (72%) would be willing to change lifestyle habits to take advantage of cheaper, off peak energy rates, with 42% willing to work their lives around smarter energy plans. 

A third of Brits also think light switches will be obsolete by 2070, and the future could see the end of remote control quarrels too, with over a quarter (27%) saying the channel changer will be a relic by the same date. A fifth also think plug sockets and even the humble kettle won’t be around by 2070 either. 

Top 10 predicted tech of the homes of the future  

1.    Adaptable rooms and living spaces
Having a party? Automated walls open up flexible spaces to accommodate more people, while the lighting adapts to suit the mood. Perhaps there’s a curious toddler roaming around? If so, activate the automatic stair gates. You can even add temporary kitchen workspace, or a spare room for a gym, if you need it. 
2.    Face recognition to access your home  
Your face is unique - an infrared scan will reveal hidden patterns under the skin, meaning highly secure, key-free access to your home.
3.    Wireless gadget charging built into surfaces 
No more power cords – wireless charging will become the norm, with surfaces throughout the home able to charge tech without a physical connection.
4.    Hyper-connected smart home hub 
Control how and when you use power with a smart home energy hub. Incorporating your smart meter, it will connect appliances and tech around the house and schedule them to use energy when it is cheapest. Smart meters will continue to play a pivotal role in managing renewable energy generated at home through solar panels or domestic turbines, and help you sell any unused electricity back to the grid. As domestic batteries develop, you’ll also be able to store power for use throughout the day, helping to flatten the peaks in demand that drive up energy costs. 
5.    Become self-sufficient and grow your own – indoors
While the home of the future will generate its own energy using tech such as solar panels, it doesn’t stop there. That energy could be harnessed to grow fruit and vegetables indoors, in a cabinet no bigger than a fridge. Thanks to indoor hydroponics (the science of growing plants without soil) you can embrace a modern version of The Good Life. Grow the produce you want all year round and minimise travel emissions and food waste.
6.    Shopping delivered by drone
Every household will have a drone landing zone, allowing automated deliveries of shopping and recovery of reusable containers for cleaning and reuse. The drones will even remove household waste.
7.    Robo-crops
Banish weeding to history with a robot gardener who will channel Alan Titchmarsh and keep your begonias looking their best. 
8.    ‘Magic’ mirrors that help choose outfits – and a wardrobe that puts away your clothes
Smart mirrors will connect with your digital wardrobe and help you pick the outfit of the day. They can even screen live make-up tutorials designed for you. Done with your clothes for the day? The wardrobe will clean, press, fold and store them for you.
9.    No drop wasted
Bathrooms of the future will use heat pump technology to capture heat from hot water running down the drains for use throughout the house, while the water from the shower, sinks and bath is collected and cleaned for use in your garden.
10.    Toilets that monitor your health
Some illnesses are invisible, but early diagnosis can be important to ensure the right treatment is sought. In the future, smart toilets will alert you to early signs of disease, such as diabetes or cancer, allowing you to seek medical advice as quickly as possible. 

Speaking after the panel, TV presenter Maggie Philbin said: “Some of the ideas and inventions I saw on Tomorrow’s World painted a very different picture of the future, sometimes one you’d only ever dream of. But seeing what could be in store for British homes is truly exciting – and some of it’s happening all around us already.  

“Getting a smart meter for your home is a simple thing that will help you to make the most of the advancements in technology, especially when it comes to how we use, and pay for, energy.  
Futurist Tom Cheesewright said: “A lot of the tech we’ll see in the future will melt into the background. It’ll be built into walls, part of the fabric of the house, for example. The advances we’ll see will offer more luxury for us all, from large screens to devices that automate laborious processes, and we’ll need to do much less thinking about how we interact with these devices.”  

Describing the home as bringing back the self-sufficient lifestyle, Tom said: “It’ll be like a modern version of The Good Life. Instead of growing fruit and veg in the garden, our solar panels could be used to power a hydroponic chamber in the kitchen.” 

Victoria Bacon, Director at Smart Energy GB said: “Smart meters are pivotal to helping us make the most of energy today and in the future. They’re already helping us take advantage of cheaper power when it’s available. In the future they’ll open the door to new benefits of smart technology, while helping us to integrate more renewable home-grown energy and making us less reliant on imported fossil fuels.” 

You can see the smart home of the future by going to futurehouse.smartenergygb.org