It is hoped the availability of 400 additional acute care hospital beds and 600 extra beds in nursing and residential homes will ease the problem of "bed blocking".

BBC: NHS bosses upbeat on winter prospects

"Residential air-conditioning is the peak load problem, and we're able to tackle the load-shifting in a very automated way, " says Matt Rogers, Nest's engineering VP.

CNN: Nest's plan to stop brownouts before they start

New buildings are "bending over backwards to cater to pet owners as potential buyers because they know that that problem exists, " said Barbara Fox, the president of Fox Residential Group, who owns four dogs and two cats.

WSJ: Where Dogs Rule the Roost