Intelligent temperature-controlling bedsheets and furniture that changes shape and colour are among the innovations that could become commonplace in the homes of the future.
The high-tech sheets will mean you never again suffer a sweaty, sleepless night during a heatwave.
And the AI furniture will also have the potential to change shape if you want to introduce new items to the room but fear a lack of space.
Other must-haves that could be on the horizon include toilets that turn waste into fuel, and a community-based electric vehicle pooling system.
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Hydroponic fruit and vegetable gardens that grow in sand, gravel or liquid in your house are also likely.
A panel of experts, including television presenter Carol Vorderman, teamed up with Smart Energy GB, the campaign for a smarter Britain, and Go Ultra Low, an initiative designed to raise awareness of ultra-low emission vehicles, to paint a picture of the “Smart E-Home”, which the team believes has the potential to build a cleaner, greener country.
It also debated the small steps Britons are already taking for a cleaner, greener future, including owning a composting bin, having energy-efficient white goods and getting a smart meter.
Robert Llewellyn, the television actor and presenter of YouTube channel Fully Charged, Dr Ian Pearson, a futurologist, and Dr Jo Patterson, of Cardiff University, also featured on the panel of experts.
Smart Energy GB carried out a study on the topic among 2,000 UK adults to reveal potential innovations in engineering and architecture which could transform the future of living sustainably and the “smart grid”.
It found that seven in 10 people would like to live in a more eco-friendly home and 83 per cent said they were interested in new technologies which could help them achieve this.
Dr Pearson said: “Making homes greener certainly won’t mean making them low-tech. With the Smart E-Home, it will be possible for us to entirely redecorate our homes without buying in new fixtures or fittings.
Instead, we’ll use augmented reality and smart furniture made from reconfigurable materials.
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“Our homes will use renewable energy, stored in home batteries, and will make our lives easier.
“Hydroponics, for example, will grow fresh salad and herbs, reduce the number of trips to shops while improving our diet.
“Special LED lighting will provide the colours of light that plants prefer, avoiding waste, and of course smart meters can provide the energy for this lighting when it is cheapest.”
The research, conducted by OnePoll, also found that, although most people wanted to live in a greener home, two in 10 admitted they don’t know how to go about it.
Dr Pearson added: “It’s encouraging to see adults will prioritise reducing their energy demand via smart windows, solar panels and paints, and small wind energy harvesters, and then using smart meters to allow any extra energy to be sourced from renewables.”
Robert Cheesewright, of Smart Energy GB, said: “Smart meters are bringing the future into our homes today.”
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