Going green doesn’t have to be difficult, but when it comes to home security systems, the options for consumers have long remained restricted. Sure, there’s some solar powered home security system equipment on the market, but until recently, a fully integrated, environmentally friendly home security system that is both affordable and offers all features required in a modern home has not been available. Homeowners who wanted an environmentally friendly home usually had to find their own energy solutions for powering their home security systems, and always faced the risk of compromised home security in the event of a power outage due to a malfunctioning of the system. But with more and more innovative technologies becoming more affordable and therefore more available to consumers, it was only a matter of time before somebody came up with a fully integrated, environmentally responsible, and energy efficient home security system.
Combining Solar Power with Home Security Systems
Vivint, a home security solutions company that has been around for over a decade under the name APX Alarms, is taking action to meet the demand for green home security systems. It recently announced plans to target a broader market by offering solar powered home services, which combine energy efficient, solar powered appliances with a smart home security system. In the near future, around 16,000 homes will have solar panels installed so they are ready to use the combined energy-security solution. Vivint is optimistic about the new combined system, and expects to increase the number of homes using it to over 100,000 by the end of 2011.
Integrated System
The system is integrated so homeowners can program the settings on certain home appliances and even monitor the amount of electricity they use from their home panel, computer, or smart phone. At the same time, the home panel, phone, or computer also serve as monitors for the home security system, which includes features to program light switches and camera settings. Surprisingly, Vivint manages to keep the costs of the system reasonable, despite the expenses of setting up the solar panels. Studies have shown that, for homeowners, the costs of installing solar panels will be offset by the resulting savings on their energy bills. For the rest of the combined system, homeowners pay an initial $99 setup fee, and a monthly maintenance fee of between $44.99 and $49.99, with the energy management feature costing an additional $6.99 per month.
