Your new rent-free smart home awaits, will you qualify?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 08 February 2010 09:33

Your IT - Home IT

An electric smart home that's a cross between 'The Jetsons' and 'Big Brother' is being trialled in the Australian state of New South Wales, and the state government - and they want you and your family to apply!

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has reported on an interesting new smart home trial launched by the state of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia.

Set in the former Olympic Village for the Sydney 2000 Olympics in the specially created suburb of Newington, the house is set to have all the modern day electric mod-cons you could want, from an electric car, a solar panel, remote controlled applicances (by mobile phone) and even a gas powered 'fuel cell' that turns gas into electricity.

Just like the Queensland Government had advertised for someone that would blog and create other digital media about their experience for 'the best job in the world', the NSW Govt wants its chosen family to also blog about what could well be the 'best (government provided) smart house in the world'.

The project was launched by the NSW Minister for Energy, John Robertson, who was quoted by the ABC as saying that a family was wanted because 'kids use technology different to their parents'.

Although the Minister made a reference to 'Big Brother', the lucky family can rest assured that the house will be free of intrusive cameras and a public trying to vote them out, but the amount of electricity and water the smart home family uses will be recorded and analysed as part of the whole smart home project.

Interestingly, the family will not be asked to pay rent or any utility bills as part of the prize, so whether or not the family chooses to truly be energy efficient is yet to be seen.

The ABC reports that families can apply through Energy Australia's 'TenderLink' page which notes: 'To register to retrieve the "Smart Home Family" tender details, please click on the "registration" button above.

More details on page two, please read on!