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Cam and Chloe Waru are set for a year living in PowerNet’s smart-tech house.
PowerNet announced today that a Winton couple and their two-year-old daughter, Maci, were selected from a pool of applicant families for the opportunity to live for free in an Invercargill house equipped with smart technologies.
“We’re delighted to have been able to offer the house to the Waru’s for a year and very pleased they accepted,” says PowerNet project manager, Dyson Gentle.
Cam had submitted a `very entertaining’ video and the PowerNet team could see the potential the family had to successfully promote the project. The couple were also enthusiastic about smart technologies. PowerNet is delighted to be working with them.
“We were surprised and delighted with the interest shown and the quality of the applications received,” Mr Gentle said.
The house is equipped with solar panels, battery storage, energy smart appliances and hot water powered by a heat pump exchanger. The Waru’s will also have the use of an electric car and a juice point charger installed at the address.
The project is part of PowerNet’s drive to understand emerging technologies and leverage these to create better efficiencies for its customers. The company already operates a fleet of electric vehicles.
“The smart energy home project is the next step in understanding trends in future energy use and their impact. The information we’ll gather over the year of the tenancy will help us create the best outcomes for our customers,” says Mr Gentle.
For the Waru’s, it will be an opportunity to experience the technologies first-hand and to contribute their own insights about using smart technologies.
“We are super excited to have been chosen as the tenants – we’re still in a little bit of shock! It’s going to be an awesome year living in the house and being a part of PowerNet’s experiment in the Smart Energy Home – we can’t wait to get moved in,” says Mr Waru.
The Waru’s will move into the house in early March.
They’ll help PowerNet to promote the project over the coming year.