The Self-Driving Home: AI, Net-Zero Living and Energy-as-a-Service, Mark Lufkin, Wondrwall

Adam speaks with Mark Lufkin, Chief Product Officer at Wondrwall, the Manchester-based company using AI to reinvent how homes manage and generate energy.

Mark walks us through Wondrwall’s evolution, from its origins in motion-sensing wallpaper to a full-stack smart home system powered by AI, solar, and predictive analytics. Think of it as a self-driving car, but for your house: the platform controls heating, lighting, storage, and energy flows in real time, drawing on over 20,000 data points per home, per day.

The conversation dives into the psychology behind smart tech adoption – why most people don’t have time to be energy experts, and how Wondrwall designs for trust, not just efficiency. Mark also unpacks Wondrwall’s PowerPlan model which removes upfront costs by giving away solar panels, batteries, and EV chargers, instead selling clean power back to homeowners at lower rates.

The episode explores how smart systems can feel more like companions than control panels, offering just the right balance of automation, insight, and emotional connection. If the future of housing is intelligent, Wondrwall wants to make sure it is also human.

Adam and Mark discuss:

• Most people aren’t prosumers; Wondrwall’s AI runs the home so they don’t have to
• Human-first design: tech that acts smart, but asks before it acts
• Future Homes Standard doesn’t go far enough and risks driving up bills
• Power Plan flips the model: zero upfront cost, cheaper energy, smarter homes
• Making net-zero realistic by designing for how people actually live

Useful Links

Visit Wondrwall: https://wondrwall.com/

Connect with Mark Lufkin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marklufkin/

Join Hypercube's Beyond Energy Community: https://wearehypercube.com/join-the-community/