HIVE LAUNCHES SOLAR AND BATTERY TO PUT NATION
IN CONTROL OF THEIR ENERGY
- Solar panels and battery can seamlessly integrate into the Hive App along with heating, EV charging and lighting for a fully connected smart home.
- Brits can go greener and save up to £818 off their bills with solar panels and our Hive Solar Saver energy offer.
- New research from the smart home provider reveals the top 30 status symbols of the home for 2024, with a third (31%) naming solar panels as a sign of success.
Hive, the leading connected smart home brand in the UK, has integrated solar panels and battery into the Hive App giving Britons across the country more control of their energy. Through this new development, homeowners can now see how much energy they are generating from the sun, set budgets and save money on their energy bills. With a solar system and battery, customers can save any spare energy for later or even sell what they don’t need back to the grid to make money.
Britons who install solar panels in their homes will be the envy of their neighbours as new research reveals that nearly a third (31%) of Brits agree solar panels are an indicator of social standing across neighbourhoods in the UK. As part of the research, Hive has unveiled the top 30 status symbols of the home, with wine cellars, cinemas and outdoor kitchens among the top items that cause passers-by to stop and pay attention, along with a pizza oven, a home gym and stylish sculptures in the garden also making the list of items that are envy inducing.
Almost half (45%) of respondents think being ‘green’ and caring for the environment is the ultimate status symbol. And 29% of the nation shows off about having solar panels by talking about the money-saving benefits to their friends, family and neighbours as well as demonstrating how good they are for the environment. Customers who buy solar panels and a battery before the end of September can make a combined saving of up to £818 in their first year with the Hive Solar Saver energy offer.
Susan Wells, Low Carbon Homes Director at Hive said: “We’re seeing rising demand across the UK for low carbon technology, which is why we’re making solar simple by integrating it into the Hive app. This move will give our customers more control of their energy usage and the opportunity to easily track what they are generating and storing. We’re looking forward to helping even more people reap the benefits of this technology which can cut their electricity bills and reduce their carbon footprint.”
The research revealed that 59% agreed you can tell how successful someone is by the state and quality of their home and furnishings – and the things they hang on their walls such as awards, trophies and certificates. The study went on to find that Gen Z, aged up to 27, are most likely to consider a walk-in wardrobe something of a status symbol. On the other hand, 26% of younger adults would like to boast about a wine fridge, but this leaves Baby Boomers cold – selected by just 13%.
A green-eyed 33% of the nation admit to trying to ‘Keep up with the Joneses’, with an honest 42% telling their neighbour they’re envious and 71% going out and purchasing an identical item. A lucky quarter (24%) have experienced being the trendsetting ‘Joneses’ themselves, having people copy something they had on or outside their home. And while 43% felt flattered by the imitation, 17% admitted it annoyed them.
Susan added: “Having status symbols in the home can turn your neighbour’s heads and look at you like the proverbial ‘Jones’ on the street. Whether it’s an electric vehicle, a hot tub or underfloor heating, certain items in and around the home bring attention to the trailblazing owner. When you install new solar panels, you’ll cement your neighbourhood trendsetter status.”
Hive has partnered with psychologist, Jo Hemmings, to explore why people are so taken with status symbols, and why some see them as so important. Jo said: “In social psychological terms, it has always been important to show our status – it gives us a sense of identity and self-esteem while indicating to others our social standing.
“Over the years, the items we associate with our status have evolved. Thirty years ago, things which are now commonplace like a dishwasher, a mobile phone and a colour TV – were thought of as signs of having money, but today, environmentally conscious consumers are driving the evolution of status symbols.
“Now, eco-friendly credentials are redefining how people flaunt their status. From electric vehicles and solar panels to compost heaps and vegetable patches, taking care of the environment is now the ultimate status symbol.
“When people see their neighbours doing things that are green, and they are inclined to do it themselves, the ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’ notion. Green envy is spreading, house by house, street by street and neighbourhood by neighbourhood.”
Hive is on a mission to help make low carbon technology simple and affordable. This can be done with the Hive app by tracking spend and setting budgets, allowing users to control all their Hive smart devices whether it’s heating, EV charging or lighting, from wherever they are. In England and Wales, Hive is working with Effective Home, and Forster Group in Scotland to provide UK-wide coverage for installs.
Want to find out whether you’re the neighbourhood trendsetter or prefer more subtle ways to show your status? Take this quiz to find out just how ‘Jones’ you are.
THE NATION’S TOP 30 STATUS SYMBOLS FOR 2024 ACCORDING TO HIVE:
Sports car
A hot tub in the garden
Walk in wardrobe
A cinema room
Home gym
Electric gates
Underfloor heating
Unique ‘one of a kind’ items like an original art piece
Garden room
Glass bi-fold doors
Boiling water tap
Electric vehicle / EV charging point at the front of the house
Solar panels
A sculpture in the garden
Voice or app-controlled electronics (such as lighting, TV, heating etc)
Barista coffee machine
Wine cellar
Outdoor kitchen
Security cameras
Pizza oven
Trophies, awards, medals and certificates on display
Automated blinds and curtains
Built-in wine fridge
‘His and Hers’ sinks in the bathroom
Automated sprinklers
Robot lawn mower
Outdoor TV
A fully stocked bar cart
Wearable technology gadgets
Outdoor fireplace