A Smart Home Can Make Telework Easier

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Now that many offices and stores have fully reopened, droves of office workers have moved their workspaces from their homes back to their normal workplaces. But not every remote worker has returned to business as usual.

According to the Brookings Institution, a public policy research organization, now that businesses have invested in the technology and training necessary for their employees to work remotely, many of those telecommuters are choosing to stay home.

If you’re one of them, consider upgrading your home with a few smart gadgets that can make life easier and save money and energy.

Here are four of the most popular smart home features, according to Hanley Wood, publisher of Builder magazine:

Smart speakers. Personal digital assistants like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home and Apple’s HomePod respond to voice commands by answering questions, turning the lights on or off, reading your schedule, playing your music requests, and reminding you to do the chores you pro-grammed it to track.

Smart appliances. A smart refrigerator can let you know when you’re low on milk. Smart washers and dryers can remind you when it’s time to do the laundry—and allow a repair tech to fix a problem remotely so you don’t have to be home to let him in.

Smart security. Even if you’re on vacation or stuck at work all day, you can still see your porch if your doorbell is equipped with a camera. Some devices even let you speak to anybody who might be standing on your porch.

Smart thermostats. Connected to Wi-Fi, these easy-to-install thermostats monitor your family’s habits and set the heat and air conditioning accordingly. Some manufacturers claim a household can save 10% on heating bills and 15% on AC with a thermostat that raises or lowers the temperature when nobody’s home.