Technology and innovation can be great allies to our precious planet. To demonstrate this point, LG Spain constructed a passive, connected house in Madrid, attracting a variety of different personalities and enlisting them in the Smart Green cause.
LG Hanok ThinQ & Passivhaus is based on the well-known architectural style of traditional Korean homes. South Korea’s rich cultural heritage, Hanok, has always been important to LG’s business philosophy, informing its long-standing commitment to innovation, growth and protecting the environment. Hanok combined with ThinQ is the coming together of the traditional and the new. Passivhaus, also Passive House, is a voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a structure that maintains ideal interior conditions while using 70-90 percent less energy compared to a conventional building.
The efficient LG products inside are all powered with energy collected by solar panels integrated into the house. Among other things, the solar panels supply enough energy to charge an electric vehicle and operate LG’s Therma V Air to Water Heat Pump System, which provides heating and hot water supply four times more efficiently than a conventional boiler. Any surplus energy collected is stored in connected batteries for later use.
Through this forward-thinking project, LG Spain is effectively demonstrating a viable way for home owners to make efficient use of clean energy without having to sacrifice everyday conveniences. In the future, this non-polluting method of powering the home could provide additional income, with the surplus energy captured by the solar panels sold to local electricity providers.
In addition to eco-friendly appliances, there is another factor that can help achieve a more efficient home: connectivity. Utilizing LG ThinQ, LG Hanok shows how enhanced connectivity can optimize energy usage throughout the house. LG’s advanced technology tracks the energy consumption of each organically-connected device – TV, monitors, washing machine, smart speaker and refrigerator – in real-time and automatically supplies the ideal amount of electricity, conserving power and the planet’s resources. With ThinQ, users also have the convenience of voice control via the Google Assistant, enabling them to control the lights, oven, blinds and more with simple voice commands.
The LG Hanok also has a garden with over 50 plant species that will absorb more and more carbon dioxide as they grow. LG encourages all visitors to plant a tree, and expects the total number of plants in the garden to surpass 1,000 within the next few months. Located at LG Spain’s headquarters, The LG Hanok ThinQ & Passivhaus has already received important visitors including Chun Hong-jo, South Korea’s ambassador to Spain.
The Spanish population is very aware of the problems facing the planet, with more than 50 percent expressing concern about green issues. However, Spain needs to do more as a country to counter threats to the environment. In its Smart Green strategy, LG Spain proposes to change things for the better by taking action rather than waiting for local government or other entities to lead the way.
Contributed by LG Spain
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