For their entry into the U.S. Department of Energy's biennial Solar Decathlon competition, students from the Missouri University of Science and Technology had empty nesters in mind. Their creation, SILO (Smart Innovative Living Oasis), is self-sustaining, net-zero, and farmhouse-inspired -- marrying eco-friendly tech with soothing design.
SILO has rainwater storage, voice-activated software, and an energy-monitoring system managing the home's battery power, allowing for excess stored power to be sold back to the grid, Curbed reports.
... It’s an automated dwelling that employs “a system of devices that work in tandem to create a more energy efficient home, while removing the need to worry about how one device interacts with another,” according to the team website.