TECHNOLOGY: Beyond Smart Home Security, Rise of Smart Appliances Coming in 2013

A new smart home appliance survey recalls a plot in a machines-take-over movie, but the new technology can actually help save the planet as well as energy costs.

about security issues, rather than gabby appliances telling them what to do.

More than half tech-savvy consumers told CEA they wanted to be remotely alerted to security problems and smoke detectors going off when they weren't at home.

They also said, at home and away, they wanted to be able to see who is at the front door and who enters or exits their home.

Terminating high utility costs

Apparently a similar number of households want to also juice up major appliances with smarts, according to Parks Associates, an international market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services.

Park Associates said 44 percent of all U.S. broadband households would allow their power company to manage and monitor their home appliances to reduce energy consumption and save money.

They may just get their wish.

"Manufacturers are developing connected appliances to stay competitive in a mature market, where connectivity can differentiate products and add value through remote monitoring, enhanced functionality, and energy savings," said Tom Kerber, Director, Research, Home Controls and Energy, Parks Associates.

"Appliance manufacturers LG and Samsung have launched Wi-Fi-enabled appliances, and most major manufacturers are launching new connected products in 2013, which will continue to increase consumer awareness and strengthen the value proposition of connected appliances," Kerber added.

Manufacturers have already loaded appliances with sensors that do more than manage energy use; they also enhance control and convenience.

Smarter than consumers

For example, some washing machines "know" how much water to use for a given load of clothes. Clothes dryers shut down when they become "aware" the clothes are dry, even if the consumer has set the timer for a longer drying duration. Microwaves "sense" when a casserole has been zapped long enough.

Park Associates says households also want machines with smart troubleshooting features to help resolve appliance problems.

Perhaps, one day, they'll repair themselves.

The research and a recent energy summit, "The Role of Cloud-based Services and Connected Appliances in Energy Management," do however have an ominous "rise of the machines" ring to them.

Let's just hope this isn't the beginning of Skynet, the antagonist in the Terminator movie series - self-aware AI machines that ban together as war machines to replace humans.

But seriously, "The appeal of energy monitoring for appliances could be boosted by educating consumers about appliance energy consumption, which would ultimately provide more savings to consumers," Kerber said.

http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20130306_smartappliances.htm

BOSTON NEWS: Cambridge startup Block Avenue prepares to launch a Yelp for your neighborhood

On the Internet, you can dole out stars and write reviews for doctors, hotels, restaurants, and even your evil employer. Now there's a Cambridge startup, Block Avenue, that wants to collect your opinions about the street where you live. The site is set to launch next week, and after getting a sneak peek of the company's demo, I've got two thoughts: 1. It's very cool, and 2. It's destined to cause controversy.

Block Avenue has divided up the U.S. into 1.89 billion squares, each one with 300 feet on each side, says founder Tony Longo. (He's on the right in the photo, with director of engineering Drew Myers.) "Then, we went and we collected as much data as we could about each block," he says. That includes information about whether there's public transit, car-sharing, or bike-sharing locations; recent crimes and sex offenders who live in that block; amenities like gyms, parks, dry cleaners, grocery stores, and restaurants; and schools. "There are players out there who do each of those things on their own," says Longo, "but nobody has brought it together." Based on the information Block Avenue collects, its software algorithm assigns a grade, from A through F. As you zoom in and out on Block Avenue's map, the system calculates an overall grade for the area you're looking at, which shows up in the upper right corner. (See the screen shot below.)

Visitors to the site can also write reviews of blocks they live on, or are familiar with. They can also add even more information to Block Avenue's database, rating a block on matters like noise, cleanliness, traffic levels, and community spirit (all things which Block Avenue couldn't find in existing databases.) Longo says that user reviews and ratings will influence those automatic grades that Block Avenue assigns.

The company is focusing on three cities in its launch phase: Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C., and Longo says that during its testing this summer, the company has already gathered about 2,000 reviews from users in those cities.

Now, on to the prospective controversy. Longo also says that he has plans to overlay U.S. Census data about race, income, average age, and ethnicity onto Block Avenue's maps, which could upset people. (Though there are already sites like Mixed Metro that offer up that information.) No homeowner will want to admit they live on a Grade D or F block, especially if they ever hope to sell their property, and so I predict there will be a natural tilt toward grade inflation. (I also think it will be a challenge to keep boosterish real estate agents from writing gushy reviews about the areas they represent.)

Longo, as it happens, was previously the founder of the online brokerage CondoDomain, and he

TECHNOLOGY: Is it worth paying for super-fast Internet in your home?

Rapid advances in technology over the last few years have made a broadband connection essential for many of us in our daily lives. Streaming more HD movies, downloading music, and using data-heavy video chat services like Skype and FaceTime can make basic broadband speeds seem a bit sluggish.

Luckily, you do have some options to choose from. We've taken a look at three of the larger broadband providers in the country -- Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon -- to show you some options if you would like to dramatically increase your Internet speeds.

How fast is my broadband now?

(Photo: Tyler Olson/Shutterstock)The average speed that Americans get from their home Internet service is 5.8 megabits per second (Mbps). Those numbers may seem decent, but those speeds place the United States in 13th place worldwide, behind countries like Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Romania. Even the city with the fastest Internet service in America, Boston, only averages 8.4Mbps -- speeds that wouldn't place it in the top 50 cities worldwide.

America's slow broadband speeds aren't due to lack of availability but a lack of knowledge among cable companies' customers. Cable companies push low-end broadband packages, because they are usually cheaper -- and much slower. For instance, most Verizon customers don't have a clue that Verizon offered broadband with speeds of 300Mbps on June 17 -- the fastest broadband connection in the country, fast enough to download a two-hour HD movie in under two minutes.

What are my high-speed options?

Aside from Verizon's world-class offering (which costs $204 a month), there are other extremely fast options from Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon.

Coming in right behind Verizon's highest broadband package is a 150Mbps offering that costs $94 a month. Another option is an $84-a-month plan that will get you speeds of 75Mbps. Be aware of the hidden costs with Verizon; all of these prices are contingent upon a two-year contract (if you don't sign, the price goes up $5 a month, plus you have to pay a $100 equipment fee) as well as Verizon's home phone service (another $5-a-month surcharge if you don't have it).

Time Warner Cable also has faster options for you, but they are nowhere near what Verizon is offering. Time Warner's highest offering is $79 a month, which gets you speeds of 50Mbps for your home Internet needs. For $49 and $39 a month, you can get speeds of 30Mbps and 20Mbps, respectively. All of these prices are promotional and will rise after the first year.

(Photo: iStock)Comcast does offer higher speeds than Time Warner Cable, but it comes at a premium. At 105Mbps, Comcast's fastest option comes in at $199 a month, $5 cheaper than Verizon's highest option, which offers speeds

MARKET TRENDS: Real Estate Outlook: Will Recovery Continue?

The economy has been making strides towards recovery, but are these steps enough to ramp up both the housing and labor market?  

According to Bernanke, economic activity slowed during the first half of this year. This came after a 2.5 percent annual rate of GDP growth for 2011. Additionally, while the unemployment rate has fallen over the last year. "after running at nearly 200,000 per month during the fourth and first quarters, the average increase in payroll employment shrank to 75,000 per month during the second quarter."  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke reports there are two risk factors that could cripple a recovery. The first is the euro-area fiscal and banking crisis; the second is the U.S. fiscal situation.  

Housing has seen modest improvement, including rising pending and existing home sales in some regions. This growth is thanks in part to historically low interest rates. Buyers are always returning to the market to take advantage of low prices.


Bernanke says, "Construction has increased, especially in the multifamily sector. Still, a number of factors continue to impede progress in the housing market."


Builder confidence has responded and for the market of newly built, single-family homes, it has risen by the largest one-month gain in nearly a decade. 

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported on this trend in the their latest HMI survey. "Combined with the upward movement we’ve seen in other key housing indicators over

TAXES: Virtual tax audits coming soon?

The dreaded process of getting a tax audit could soon take place virtually in the comfort of your living room. 

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The dreaded process of getting an audit could soon take place over a computer screen in the comfort of your living room. In what could be an indication of things to come, the IRS launched a pilot program at the end of last year that allows taxpayers to use two-way video conferencing for assistance with tax questions and problems. 


Quiz: What the rich really pay in taxes 

The Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent watchdog arm of the IRS, is already calling for the agency to expand to virtual audits. The IRS says it needs to evaluate the success of the pilot program before making a decision. The pilot program is currently being tested in 12 locations, where taxpayers needing assistance can log into a computer enabled with video-conferencing.


They can then talk to an IRS agent who pops up on the screen to discuss whatever issues they're having -- whether it's help preparing a tax form or a question about a refund. TAS is also piloting a virtual assistance program. And Nina Olson, the head of TAS, wrote in a blog post this week that this technology has the potential to "radically transform" the current audit process -- eventually allowing taxpayers to use their personal computers to video conference with an IRS examiner. 8 tax apps for filers on the go To schedule an audit, the IRS would send a taxpayer a sign-in code so they could then log in to the meeting from a home or office computer.


Documents could be transmitted by simply scanning them with a computer's built-in camera. This could one day replace the need for correspondence audits, which are the letters the IRS currently sends taxpayers in the mail asking questions or requesting more information. To save costs, the IRS has become increasingly reliant on correspondence audits instead of summoning taxpayers for in-person meetings. 


But TAS says that these audits receive fewer responses and that many of the taxpayers dealt with these audits don't understand how they work, default on payments and get hit with penalties. Plus, with correspondence audits a specific representative typically isn't assigned to a case,

Welcome to my KW website

I would like to share with you my new real estate home; Keller Williams Realty. Keller Williams is the Winner of Inman Innovator Award: Most Innovative Real Estate Website or Service - eEdge.

This site is ground breaking. My clients can have access to all forms and documentation of their transaction. The site is jet fast and user oriented. What a great change. 

You can find me at Roberta's Keller Williams web site or at my personal site which hasn't changed: www.yourhomeinboston.com


At KW the focus is on individual marketing and total support of the agent in their business dealings with you, the client. I am still available at the same phone number and email address and I'm always ready to serve your real estate needs. 

ARCHITECTURE: Would You Live in a Shipping Container?

Cheap, transportable and recyclable, Adam Kalkin's container homes may be the next wave of prefab.

Adam Kalkin isn't the only architect to make homes out of shipping containers. A handful of architects, including Jennifer Siegal and Lot-Ek, began using them ten years ago as a gritty reaction against the tidy white surfaces of modernism. But nobody has employed shipping containers more inventively than Kalkin, a New Jersey architect and artist who has used them to design luxurious homes, museum additions, and refugee housing.

In architectural circles, Kalkin is regarded as something of an oddball. He began his talk at the Urban Center in New York Tuesday night by playing the first five minutes of a Jerry Lewis movie, followed by the actor's acceptance speech at the Academy Awards last month. His website includes lessons on hitting a tennis forehand and a selection of songs to sing after taking antidepressants. Years ago Kalkin shaved while delivering a lecture at the Whitney Museum.

His talk this week was tied to the publication of Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture ($49.95), which shows 32 of his projects in all their odd ingenuity, including Bunny Lane, a home he built for himself with a 19^th century clapboard cottage inside an industrial hanger, and the Push Button House, a furnished room that unfolds from a container with hydraulic walls.

"Adam continues to be subversive, and subvert what architecture is supposed to be," design historian Alastair Gordon said by way of introduction in the panel discussion that followed Kalkin's presentation.

MARKET TRENDS: Wire Your Home to Sell

Home buyers are ga-ga over gadgets.


A survey by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) says home security systems, home theater-wired systems, home automation management systems and energy management systems are hot selling points.


"There is a strong relationship between home technologies and the real estate market. While the market needs to recover before home technologies play a more important role in home sales, the industry can help prepare real estate agents to be comfortable in discussing these types of systems with their clients," said CEA's Rhonda Daniel.


CEA said the vast majority of real estate agents have encountered homes with installed technologies.


In the past 24 months, nine in 10 real estate agents have been involved in buying, selling or showing a plugged-in home equipped with technology ranging from more established systems such as monitored security (93 percent) and home theater or home theater-wired systems (89 percent) to newer technologies like home automation and management systems (54 percent) and energy management systems (51 percent).


More than half of real estate agents said they are excited by these homes and believe their clients' enthusiasm for technology mirrors their own. Nearly two-thirds of real estate agents said their clients are excited to see technologies in homes.


That's no surprise.


The soft economy is bringing more and more entertainment home as a cost-saving factor. That

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Google wants to help homeowners add solar power panels

NEW YORK - Google wants to buy solar panels for your house.


The search giant announced yesterday that it will provide $75 million to build 3,000 residential solar electricity systems across the country. Google will own the panels, and get paid over time by customers who purchase the electricity the panels produce.


Google is creating a fund with a San Francisco company called Clean Power Finance that local solar installers will be able to tap so they can offer financing plans to prospective buyers. The plans allow homeowners to install a $30,000 solar electricity system on their house for little or no money up front. Instead, customers pay a monthly fee that is the same or less than what they would otherwise be paying their local utility for power.


Google will earn what it calls an attractive return on its investment in two ways. It gets the monthly fee from homeowners, and, as the owner of the systems, Google will get the benefit of federal and state renewable energy subsidies.


The systems will not carry the Google brand, however. Instead, local installers will offer the deal under their own brands.


Solar power has gotten dramatically cheaper, but the up-front cost for a homeowner remains formidable. A typical home system costs $25,000 to $30,000. Federal and state governments offer subsidies to help defray the cost somewhat, but it is still far too much money for many homeowners to shell out.


Solar financing plans are offered by a handful of large solar companies such as SunRun, SolarCity, and Sungevity, and they are growing in popularity. Google created a $280 million fund with

NEWS: Real estate site Zillow jumps on IPO

NEW YORK - Investors set aside housing market doldrums and rushed to grab shares of real estate website Zillow yesterday, valuing the company at as much as $1.6 billion.


Zillow Inc., which has never made a profit, is yet another beneficiary of strong investor demand for the latest crop of Internet stocks.


Many of the recent market debutantes provide social networking, online games, or search. Zillow’s shares tripled in their trading debut on the Nasdaq stock market. Zillow had set a price of $20 for its stock late Tuesday.


The weak housing market did not hurt Zillow’s initial public offering. Figures released yesterday show that Americans are buying homes at the weakest pace in 14 years.


Zillow’s IPO follows filings by high-profile Internet companies ranging from daily deals site Groupon Inc., the professional networking service LinkedIn Corp., along with Zynga Inc. best known for the online game “FarmVille.’’


Though these companies generate a lot of IPO euphoria, the attention they receive on their initial day of trading has not guaranteed success.


Pandora Inc., the online radio service, has seen it shares fluctuate wildly since going public on June 14. Pandora’s shares are now trading at $17.60, 10 percent above their offer price.


Founded in 2004, Zillow provides online listings for more than 100 million homes that are either for sale or for rent.


Associated Press July 21, 2011

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Don’t Like CFL Light Bulbs? Try LED or Halogen Options

March 04—How many tips does it take to change a light bulb? A few more, apparently.


Despite avid media coverage and education campaigns by the government and environmental groups, consumers still aren’t flocking to newer, energy-efficient light bulbs.


Even in states with long-running and well-funded programs to promote compact fluorescent lamps, only 1 in 5 household sockets contain those bulbs, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Energy. Sales of CFLs peaked in 2007 and have declined since, the report says.


But a switch could be good for your wallet. And besides, you won’t have much choice soon.


A federal law passed in 2007 requires manufacturers to make light bulbs that emit the same brightness using less energy. Traditional incandescent bulbs can’t do that, so they’ll effectively be dropped from production over the next few years. As a consumer, you can continue using incandescents, but eventually you won’t be able to buy any more unless it’s a specialty bulb.


A phase-in of the new rules starts next January with 100-watt bulbs. That’s news to a lot of people. Just two in 10 people know about the 100-watt bulb’s impending extinction, according to a recent survey by lighting manufacturer Osram Sylvania.


Some consumers aware of the coming change—13%—plan to stock up on incandescent 100-watt bulbs while they can get them, the survey found. A Consumer Reports blog referred to them as “Lightbulb Luddites.”


That’s probably because consumers have a better alternative to hoarding inefficient 100-watters. That is, switching to new energy-efficient bulbs, probably CFLs and perhaps halogen incandescents or light emitting diodes (LEDs), experts say.


“People don’t like change, even when it’s good for you,” said Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy. “This is a change that can do good for your pocketbook and not do harm to quality of your life or the quality of your light.”


Here are questions and answers about energy-efficient lighting.


What’s changing? The demise of traditional 100-watt incandescent bulbs will be followed by 75-watt bulbs in 2013 and 60- and 40-watt bulbs in 2014. The new regulations actually don’t ban or promote any particular lighting technology. They require bulbs to be about 25% more efficient. Traditional incandescent bulbs can’t meet the new standard.


What about specialty fixtures? You’ll still be able to buy the same incandescent versions of decorative, appliance, and other specialty bulbs.


What should I buy instead? The most popular and affordable replacement is the CFL, many of which have a swirl design.


“CFLs are a pretty good technology, and they’re getting better,” said Maria Vargas, spokeswoman with the federal Energy Star program. “But it’s not an exact replacement for incandescents, because it is a different technology.”


Today’s versions are far superior and come in sizes that fit most standard light fixtures.


“CFL manufacturers have responded favorably to all the historical consumer complaints,” said Terry Drew, director of energy efficiency and sustainability for CSA International, which tests and certifies light bulbs. More than 85% of consumers report they are satisfied with the performance of CFLs, according to the report by the Energy Department.


But halogen and LED lights are available, too, and have advantages. For example, LEDs and halogen bulbs are fully dimmable, come to full brightness instantly and contain no mercury. But they cost more.


How much money can I save? Anything that uses energy has two costs: the initial cost and the energy cost over its lifetime. CFLs win on both counts. The initial-cost advantage might not be obvious because a CFL bulb will cost more than an incandescent, maybe $1.50 per bulb compared with 50 cents. But the CFL will last up to 10 times longer, making it far cheaper over the long run on initial price alone.


“In the time you would replace one CFL, you’d have 10 spent incandescents sitting in your trash can,” said Chad Bulman, program manager for the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.


Then you have the energy savings. A CFL uses 75% less energy than an incandescent bulb. Each CFL can save you about $40 over its lifetime, according to Energy Star. Those living in regions with high electricity costs save more. The range is $30 to $60 in savings per bulb. More broadly, the new standards will save an American family of four an average of about $200 per year, estimates the Alliance to Save Energy.


A minor benefit to CFLs are they don’t burn hot. So, in the summer, you will potentially use a little less air conditioning.


What about the quality of CFLs? CFLs have gone through growing pains. They once were pretty lousy: expensive and with poor-quality light. But today they are cheaper and are more similar to regular light bulbs. Those who were disappointed by CFLs in the past might give them another try.


Are there drawbacks? CFLs still don’t work well in most dimmable switches. And while you’ll get most of the light right away, it might take a minute or so to achieve full brightness. They also have mixed effectiveness in outdoor fixtures, especially in cold weather.


Consumers have complained about the brightness of CFLs. But that might be due to the bad advice of buying a CFL equal to one-quarter the wattage of an incandescent.


“I think that’s a mistake; it’s more like one-third,” Vargas said.


CFLs also have trace amounts of mercury, which is a potential health problem only if the bulb breaks, and you’d have to break several CFLs in a confined space to be in significant danger.


“The threat of CFL mercury is a bit overblown,” Bulman said. And environmentalists prefer you recycle burned-out CFLs, rather than throwing them in the trash. You can drop off spent, unbroken bulbs at any Home Depot. You can also visit lamprecycle.org.


How about other technologies? LED is the other major type of energy-efficient lighting. LED bulbs don’t suffer from many of the drawbacks of CFLs. They are fully dimmable and great for using outdoors. They are more energy efficient than CFLs and can last 25 years. But they are very expensive. An LED bulb might cost $40.


Another alternative is a halogen bulb. They are not that energy efficient, comparatively. So, they will save more money than traditional incandescents but less than CFLs. But they don’t suffer some of the CFL shortcomings. They, too, are fully dimmable and give good light. They might cost $4 to $5 a bulb.


Neither LEDs nor halogens contain mercury.


Bottom line: If you want to start easing your way into energy-efficient bulbs, replace your five most-used, nondimmable lights with Energy Star-certified CFLs. For best prices and variety, buy multipacks at big-box stores, such as home centers, mass discounters, and warehouse clubs.


gkarp@tribune.com
To see more of the Chicago Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.chicagotribune.com.


Copyright (c) 2011, Chicago Tribune


Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.


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TECHNOLOGY: Smart Meters Raise Suspicions

Coast to coast, from Maine to Marin County, Calif., the number of homes being outfitted with smart meters that keep a close eye on home owner electricity use is on the rise. And so is the number of folks who think smart meters are a dumb idea.


Some complain about the meters’ accuracy. Some worry about potential burglars watching when they turn off the lights. Others center on fears the radio waves from the meters could trigger ringing ears, headaches, nausea, sleeplessness, and worse. There’s no medical evidence for the concern, but people still worry.


“I’m old enough to remember running behind the DDT trucks as a child (which sprayed the insecticide as a gas cloud to kill mosquitoes), and everyone told us those were safe,” says South Portland, Maine, Mayor Rosemarie De Angelis. She had her home’s freshly installed smart electricity meter removed last fall. “It feels the same way now when people say smart meters are no problem.”


Nationwide, some 3 million homes have smart meters, digital electricity gauges equipped with wireless communications, according to the federal Department of Energy (DOE). According to the utility industry’s Institute for Electric Efficiency, about 65 million smart meters will be working in U.S. homes by 2020.


Giving consumers more power
The meters mean the end of the meter reader wandering into the back yard to record numbers off the whirling gauges. Instead, a radio signal either goes directly to the utility company over power lines or is sent by cellphone signal. The meter puts access to that same information inside for the home owner to see.


“For consumers, it really is about empowering them to make choices about their energy use,” says DOE’s Stephanie Mueller. Hooked to the coming “smart” electrical grid, home owners with smart meters should be able to select pricing plans that let them purchase juice at off-peak hours when it is cheaper, saving them money and the power company the extra cash it spends to run generators during peak afternoon hours.


Boosted by $4.5 billion in federal smart-grid spending over the past two years, 140 power company projects have started installing smart meters in homes.


“A lot of smart meters are being installed quietly, and with no complaints,” says Intelligent Utility magazine’s Kate Rowland. “The success stories aren’t noticed, while a handful of complaints get all the media attention.”


One of the utilities getting attention is Central Maine Power, which installed, and removed, the smart meter in De Angelis’ house. The utility matched a $96 million federal grant last year to start installing 650,000 meters across southern Maine. But with only about 56,000 in place, the meters have become political footballs. The state utility commission will hear complaints in a March 16 meeting, and Maine Gov. Paul LePage says he favors letting home owners “opt out.”


Various complaints dog the technology
Similar protests, including arrests and demonstrations, have bedeviled Pacific Gas & Electric’s rollout of smart meters across Northern California. And in Texas, the power company Oncor received hundreds of complaints about the accuracy of its new smart meters, leading the state utilities commission to hire independent analysts to confirm their accuracy.


Complaints have come in various flavors:


Accuracy. In both California and Texas, higher bills led to independent audits of smart meters. A lawsuit by a Bakersfield, Calif., resident Peter Flores, who said his monthly bills went from $200 to $500, halted installation of meters there. A hot summer in California and a cold winter in Texas seem to be partly at fault for the anger, the audits concluded. But misperforming meters have led to utilities handing out refunds, says Mark Toney of The Utility Reform Network (TURN) consumer group in San Francisco.


Security and privacy. Smart meters can communicate when power demands go up or down at individual houses, leading to more anxiety. “Who is getting the information about when my garage door is going up and down?” De Angelis asks. “I don’t want to come home and find my house has been ransacked by someone who knows when I’m gone.” For this reason, the Energy Department and most states require rules that prohibit sharing such data in smart-grid designs. But with firms such as Google and Microsoft marketing software to manage home power that will rely on smart-meter signals, De Angelis and others worry about private data leaking to the open market.


Health. In an era of cellphone and power-line worries, news that a radio-frequency-equipped meter has been installed on your house worries some home owners. Such concerns led to the California Council on Science and Technology issuing an independent report in January that concluded smart meters delivered less radio frequency energy to home owners than cellphones or microwave ovens. Both the Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization found no evidence linking such radiation to health problems.


“In the absence of information, people assume the worst,” says Peter Honebein of the Customer Performance Group in San Diego, an industry consultant. Around San Diego, Georgia, Ohio, and the District of Columbia, where smart meters were rolled out only after utilities made intense efforts to educate customers, there have been far fewer complaints.


De Angelis sees the value in that. “I felt like it would be a lot ‘smarter’ if they had answered my questions before they installed it.”


(c) Copyright 2011 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.


Dan Vergano HouseLogic.com March 9, 2011
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