In Brescia (Northern Italy), the first smart city in the country was born: twenty families will live the experience of the smart grids for a year, testing the benefits of a more efficient use of energy thanks to the opportunities offered by the “Internet of things”. The “Smart Domo Grid” project, funded by the Ministry of Economic Development, has A2A Reti Elettriche as leader and has Whirlpool and the Polytechnic of Milan (Energy Department) as partners. Whirlpool has received the task of providing the prototypes of the connected models that it will launch next year on the European market. The homes of every family, already in possession of a PV system and an Internet connection, have electronic meters of latest generation and two smart appliances of latest generation (refrigerator and dishwasher): the families will receive a third appliance (the washing machine) immediately after the summer holidays. Besides, the families also have a tablet for remote operations with an App of a system of energy management for the monitoring and intelligent management of energy consumption and household appliances. “For Whirlpool, innovation means benefit to the consumer – says Marco Signa, project coordinator for Whirlpool EMEA -; in view of the launch on the market of the connected home appliances, it is crucial to understand how the end user interacts with the possibilities offered by the new technology. No verification is more useful than the one made in the field, with conditions of real use; for this reason we are certain that, with the feedback of the families, we will be able to offer products that will change our domestic habits in the years to come”.
