Circuit boards are double-insulated to protect against power surges, and there are backup power supplies that can be switched out on the fly.

FORBES: Technology

Still, we bet people still fall for the hype -- oh hey, if you're looking for the ultimate in sound, we've got half a meter of oxygen-free, triple-wrapped double-insulated Sonically Shielded AmpliSized Egyptian Llama cable here that we'll part ways with for just a couple grand.

ENGADGET: Audiophiles can't tell the difference between Monster Cable and coat hangers

Thanks to its heavily insulated roof and double-glazed, low-emissivity glass throughout, Mayhem Manor's electricity consumption is a modest 8, 300 kilowatt-hours a year.

ECONOMIST: The much-talked-of smart grid prepares to enter the home