In a highly technological setting — that of the home automation house — a new generation of smart meters manages resources alongside prototype washing machines, fridges and dishwashers of the latest generation.
A fundamental role is played by photovoltaic systems and the internet, thanks to which the energy management system rationally monitors and schedules consumption and energy supply for domestic users, while also making it possible to test the environmental impact of smart grids.
Developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Economic Development, A2A Reti Elettriche Spa, the Politecnico di Milan and Whirlpool Europe srl, the Smart Domo Grid research and development project launched last July, hosting twenty families in Italy's first smart city.
In Brescia, the Violino village is an intelligent residential settlement, the largest ever built, in which homes are equipped with electrical systems connected to the web via fibre optic. All of this is designed to demonstrate the efficiency and sustainability of electrical networks in the home, when residents make appropriate use of technologies linked to energy supply and demand. With a simple application, residents can manage their consumption from a tablet and receive information on how to make sustainable use of resources.
The real-scale experiment begun with the Violino project can be considered a step towards the city of the future. Contributing to research in the sector and initiating a dialogue between local government and citizens are the only solutions for steering development processes towards a smarter, fairer society that is more attentive to environmental protection.