Heating and securing a dwelling is something humans have done since they first built homes. As well as the practical benefits, a warm and secure home has provided peace of mind and psychological comforts ever since the earliest communities emerged.
The Romans first brought hypocaust, an underfloor central heating system, to the UK more than 2,000 years ago. The hypocaust disappeared with the Roman empire and, despite the cold winters, it took until the 1970s for the concept of central heating to become the norm in private homes. But, according to the Energy Savings Trust, it is now the most common form of heating in the UK.
The introduction of central heating systems did more for British society than keeping winter chills at bay: it changed the way many people live. Open-plan design flourished and home furnishings became lighter and more flexible, with wood, tiled and laminate flooring surging in popularity. A warmer home made the prospect of entertaining indoors much more inviting, and “loft living” arrived, giving families increased space and offering an alternative to moving house when additional bedrooms were needed.
The next change appeared with the emergence of connected-home technology. Launched in 2013, Hive Active Heating enables you to control your heating and hot water from a mobile, tablet or laptop, and the latest Hive thermostat lets you tailor your heating when, where and how you need it.
Inspired by the way people used the original Hive technology – and meeting the needs of modern homes – a new family of Hive products can make life even easier and you feel more secure at home.
If you’ve ever suffered from “power paranoia” – that sinking feeling that you’ve left something on at home – you are not the only one. A survey commissioned by Hive found that respondents waste an average of 19 hours every year checking devices are switched off before leaving home, and almost a quarter (23%) have been inconvenienced by power paranoia. Hive Active Plugs let you check and switch off devices from your phone and, because you can set up to six time slots a day, you can also switch a lamp or TV on and off as if you’re still at home, even when you’re away on holiday.
If you worry about security when you’re not at home, Hive Motion Sensors use infrared technology to detect motion, giving you greater peace of mind. Similarly, the clever wireless sensors on Hive Window or Door Sensors alert you if your window or door has been opened or closed when you’re away from home.
The key to this technology is the Hive Hub: it connects your devices so you can control them all from your mobile, tablet or laptop. The Hive Hub plugs into a broadband router and each time you buy a new Hive product you can pair it with the hub, controlling all your products from the Hive app.
Just like the development of central heating, the connected home marks a new phase in the quest for warmth and security. Consumer demand is driving the pace of its popularity, giving you more control than ever – and unprecedented peace of mind.
