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"  It&amp;#039;s easier to flick off one switch than 15 different ones. That&amp;#039;s why PC-controlled home automation systems are not only efficient, but convenient. For under $100, a DIYer can install a rudimentary system that controls certain lighting fixtures, a/c units and an alarm system, and add devices to it over time. (Just be sure to buy components that work together -- in typical electronics fashion, there are several competing standards, including Insteon, ZigBee and Z-Wave Alliance.) High-end, contractor-installed systems can cost anywhere from $1000 to upward of $10,000. They tie together every circuit in the house and allow for detailed control of all your electronic devices, as shown below in the illustration of an idealized system. By choosing &amp;quot;movie mode&amp;quot; on a PC keyboard, for example, a homeowner can adjust lighting, temperature and perhaps the blinds for watching a video in the den -- while turning down power in other rooms. Other high-end systems, such as an $11,000 setup by GridPoint, adjust electrical usage hour by hour based on utility pricing; incorporate backup batteries; and monitor energy production in homes equipped with solar panels and windmills.  Your Electricity Footprint   * Top 4 Ways To Use Less Electricity * How to Unplug Your Idle Machines * How to Automate Your Home  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to/a1673/4217089/>