HOUSTON (CW39)– We all like saving money, especially when it comes to energy costs, so we headed over to the Reliant Smart Home in the Heights to learn about ways to make our homes more energy efficient.

Wayne Morrison, principal of Emerging Technologies at Reliant Energy, toured us around the home and demonstrated new technologies that can help us save money. The Reliant Smart Home is used to test new technology like smart thermostats, appliances, Google Nest Hubs and more. The home is also outfitted with energy efficient windows and lights.

In the video below, Morrison explains the benefits of a smart thermostat. He says thermostats represent about 60% of our electricity usage, so they should be one of the first things we look at when we want to upgrade.

As for low cost and no cost energy saving tips, Morrison suggests the following:

–Change your return air filters to make sure they are not clogged. Smaller filters typically last a month or two. The thicker ones last usually about four to six months.

–Switch the way your ceiling fans rotate depending on the season. In the summer, you want the blades moving counterclockwise, but in the winter you want them running clockwise. There is a switch you can move on the side of the fan to make this change.

–Replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs can save up to 50%. Morrison suggests doing this over time as lights burn out.