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Home automation systems are becoming a necessary amenity in any high-end home, but did you ever think they also be a tool in our fight to reduce energy use and global warming?

With new “smart metering” technology homeowners will be able to monitor how much energy individual household devices use. The typical American household has 27 devices that are continuously on, according to the Electric Power Research Institute, which means that even though you’re adjusting your thermostat to save energy, and getting rid of all of your incandescent light bulbs, watching that new L.C.D. TV might wipe out all of your effort

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are expected to surge in home and building applications with more than a third of the nation’s meters communicating with power companies by 2013.

While the usual home security, entertainment and lighting control, automated fire containment and alarm, burglar deterrence, etc. are all important, the application in energy use monitoring and utility management will be immense.

Nearly 70% of the average household utility bill could be influenced by WSN application to temperature and lighting. Homeowners can use interactive energy management tools to create energy management profiles that are triggered by certain established consumption rates. As energy consumption exceeds a specific point, the WSN can automatically begin turning off low priority lighting, heating, and cooling zones, using wireless humidity and temperature sensors as well as lighting and access monitors. Wireless outdoor motion sensors could remain active while other specific energy consumers could be dimmed.

It will probably take longer for utility companies to get Smart Grids in place to reward people who apply energy saving techniques than it will to implement systems in homes and buildings. With utility companies known for passing costs of improvements on to their customers, having these technologies in place may help offset the increase in prices as well as lower your carbon footprint.