Newington. $10 million Smart Village

Around 1000 properties in Newington and nearby Silverwater, are being fitted with technology allowing their owners to control air conditioning units, heaters and other devices via iPhones or other mobiles with internet access. So far around 400 homes have been fitted with the technology and a further 600 homes will be installed by December, NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, John Robertson, told AAP. Newington was chosen because properties are relatively new and a high proportion already has environmentally friendly items such as solar panels. Silverwater was chosen because it has a higher proportion of older homes, enabling researchers to trial the technology in a range of properties. The so-called Smart Village, which has cost $10 million, will be monitored for two years and the results used to persuade energy firms and politicians to adopt the technology.