Improving Energy Efficiency in Buildings with an IoT-Based Smart Monitoring System

With greenhouse gas emissions and climate change continuing to be major global concerns, researchers are increasingly focusing on reducing energy consumption as a key strategy to address these challenges. In recent years, various devices and technologies have been developed for residential buildings to implement energy-saving strategies and enhance energy efficiency. This paper presents a real-time IoT-based smart monitoring system designed to optimize energy consumption and enhance residents’ safety through efficient monitoring of home conditions and appliance usage. The system is built on a Raspberry Pi Model 4B as its core platform, integrating various IoT sensors, including the DS18B20 for temperature monitoring, the BH1750 for measuring light intensity, a passive infrared (PIR) sensor for motion detection, and the MQ7 sensor for carbon monoxide detection. The Adafruit IO platform is used for both data storage and the design of a graphical user interface (GUI), enabling residents to remotely control their home environment. Our solution significantly enhances energy efficiency by monitoring the status of lighting and heating systems and notifying users when these systems are active in unoccupied areas. Additionally, safety is improved through IFTTT notifications, which alert users if the temperature exceeds a set limit or if carbon monoxide is detected. The smart home monitoring device is tested in a university residential building, demonstrating its reliability, accuracy, and efficiency in detecting and monitoring various home conditions.