Brian’s anegghead!

A CUMBERNAULD man has created a device that can save home owners energy and money.

Brian O’Reilly (36), from Kildrum, was inspired to create the Energy EGG, which turns off appliances that are not in use, after his three daughters constantly left plugs in, switches on and TVs on after using them.

Brian’s constant pleas to his girls to turn things off when they are not in use continuously fell on deaf ears and he was eventually forced to come up with a different solution; the Energy EGG.

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Brian said: “The EGG was built out of frustration really. My daughters know about being ecological and environmentally friendly from things they’ve learned at school, such as turning off taps and turning off lights, but they knew nothing about switching off plugs and TVs and the like.

“So I felt that I needed something that would turn things off automatically and was affordable as well.”

Brian’s invention, the TreeGreen Energy EGG, sits in any room in the house and can wirelessly switch off household appliances such as irons, TVs and straighteners when they are not in use.

The device employs technology adapted from motion sensor energy savers and could save home owners around £70 a year on energy bills.

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Brian said: “It won’t turn off the fridge just because no one’s opened the door in a while but it will turn off TVs and other appliances when they’re not being used, which saves money.”

Brian’s work was funded via an Enterprise Fellowship with the Royal Society of Edinburgh and he received research and development support from the University of Strathclyde where he had previously studied applied physics and instrumentation.

Brian, who also taught physics and mathematics at St Maurice’s and Cumbernauld High added: “There’s a safety element to it as well I suppose. It’s great to save money obviously but sometimes it’s dangerous to leave things switched on. The EGG can hopefully limit that.

“People hardly have time to think about turning everything off as there are so many appliances in modern homes running all the time. Hopefully this will make things easier.”

The Energy EGG is available at www.tesco.com.