BT has teamed up with environment-focused charity and social enterprise Hubbub to help households reduce their carbon emissions through the use of smart technology.

The ‘Smarter Living Challenge’ will initially work with 60 households across the UK, investigating how digital technology can help make their lives easier, reduce emissions, and save them money. After the three-month period, BT and Hubbub will use their findings to launch a movement encouraging more households to make a positive change.

“BT has led the way on climate action for over 28 years and we’ve pledged to become a net zero carbon emissions business by 2045,” said Andy Wales, Chief Digital Impact and Sustainability Officer at BT Group. “We also have a responsibility to help households reduce their own carbon emissions and we’re hoping to inspire action on a big scale when we reveal the outcomes of this project to the wider public in spring 2021.”

The households taking part in the initial project will be introduced to smart home devices, apps, and tips about smart tech, including smart thermostats, radiator valves, lighting, and plugs, as well as apps to manage energy, food, and water use.

Research conducted by Censuswide found that 63 per cent of people don’t currently use any smart technology to run their homes but 23 per cent would use more technology if it reduced their impact on the environment. The problem found is that, though 61 per cent of the 3,000 surveyed are concerned about the environment, 43 per cent wrongly believe that leading a greener lifestyle would be more expensive.

“Our research shows that 41 per cent of people said they’d use technology more to manage their homes if it saved them money on their bills, suggesting a need to explore exactly which technology can have a positive impact on household bills and how much money can be saved,” said Gavin Ellis, Co-founder and Director of Hubbub. “By investigating what works for different types of households we hope to inspire the public to embrace technology in a way that works for them, helping to save money and cut carbon emissions in the home.”