Eco-Design in the Smart Home: Innovation and Sustainability for All

Today, technology not only brings comfort to our homes, but also a new sustainable mindset for those who choose the smart home. Eco-design is revolutionizing the sector, offering solutions that combine innovation and respect for the environment thanks to eco-friendly materials and low-impact manufacturing processes. According to Allied Market Research, the global smart home market is growing at an annual rate of 27% (*), with an increasing demand for innovative and "green" home devices. This means that more and more families are choosing intelligent technologies to manage lighting, heating, security, and other domestic aspects. This growing adoption not only enriches comfort and quality of life, but also helps reduce energy consumption, thus promoting a positive environmental impact.

Carbon Footprint Analysis and Eco-Design by Nice: Reducing Environmental Impact

Nice has developed an eco-design approach based on detailed analysis of the company's carbon footprint, conducted since 2021 according to the GHG Protocol. These studies show that the main critical points lie in the upstream and downstream stages of the value chain: the production materials represent 21% of the total footprint, while the energy consumption of Nice solutions during use accounts for 75%. To address these challenges, the company has adopted sustainable design solutions, such as the use of recycled or renewable materials and the reduction of energy consumption of devices, with particular attention to the standby phase, where products spend most of their time.

It has also introduced the innovative Energy Panel, a system designed to optimize energy management in smart homes. The Energy Panel allows you to monitor and control the energy consumption of devices in real time, helping families to better manage energy and reduce waste. This intelligent panel is integrated with the other smart solutions of Nice and allows you to choose renewable sources or reduce use based on time slots. Thanks to this solution, the smart home is not only more efficient, but also able to minimize its environmental impact.

Eco-Friendly and Innovative Materials for the Home of the Future

Nice is one of the pioneering companies in the integration of advanced technology and sustainability. Recently awarded at SMAU for sustainable innovation, the company has developed an innovative bioplastic derived from rice processing waste, specifically from the husk, which reduces the use of fossil materials and lowers CO₂ emissions by up to 40% compared to conventional plastics, while still guaranteeing high performance. The project was carried out in collaboration with Ricehouse - a benefit company awarded for its commitment to sustainable and circular construction - and uses this eco-friendly biomaterial for fundamental components in Nice sliding gate motors.

The adoption of biomaterials is not only an environmental choice, but perfectly meets Nice's sustainability goals. The company aims to reduce direct and indirect emissions by 50% by 2030, with the ambition of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Using materials derived from renewable resources, such as rice husk, supports these strategic targets, representing a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics and demonstrating commitment to a genuinely greener supply chain through emissions reduction, as well as a circular economy and better management of natural resources.

Sustainability, Open Innovation and Strategic Collaborations

Open Innovation is at the heart of Nice's sustainable approach: a strategy that involves collaboration with startups, universities and research centers to develop new low-environmental impact technologies. The partnership with Ricehouse was born precisely during an "Innovation Day" dedicated to the search for innovative solutions, which saw the participation of various startups.

This strategic approach allows Nice to expand its contribution to sustainability: eco-design is not limited to aesthetics, but includes bio-based materials that reduce the consumption of fossil resources and naturally sequester CO₂, creating a positive impact that goes well beyond the home walls.

Smart Home and Eco-Design: Sustainability Prospects for the Future

Your smart home can be much more than a set of technological devices: it can become a more eco-friendly, conscious and efficient home. Eco-design is the heart of a smart home that aims to combine technology and respect for the environment. Thanks to research on sustainable materials, such as bioplastics, and strategic collaborations with entrepreneurial realities and virtuous entities, Nice confirms its mission to lead the sector, bringing not only innovation, but also concrete sustainability to the homes of tomorrow.

Want to discover how your smart home can become more sustainable? Contact us and discover all the eco-friendly and innovative solutions you can customize for your needs: fill out the contact form for more information or to request a custom consultation! 

(*) According to Grand View Research, the global smart home market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 27.07% until 2030, reaching a value of over $537 billion. This growth is driven by the demand for home automation devices that include security, energy management and appliance control (Grand View Research). In parallel, Allied Market Research reports that the smart home device market could grow up to $707.2 billion by 2032, but with a slightly lower CAGR of 21.5% (Allied Market Research).