Switched to compact fluorescent bulbs. Check. Turned down the heat every time you left the house. Check. Transformed your home into an energy-management hub? Well, probably not.

But now you can, with the latest home energy management systems, such as the Home Energy Manager (a prototype from the combined forces of Whirlpool, Best Buy, Lennox International and OpenPeak). Monitoring all your home appliances (including HVAC, washer/dryer, fridge and other biggies), the Home Energy Manger tracks, for example, how much energy your air conditioner sucks up, lets you check on your kids without opening their door (and incurring their righteous indignation) and streams your favorite music from Pandora, all at the same time. And that’s just the beginning for systems like these.

Users can also monitor and manage overall home energy consumption (including tips for how to stick to a monthly budget), control appliances, change the channel on TV, view photos, make calls and catch up with friends on Facebook… all with a simple tap (or, really, a series of taps) on the elegant touch-screen. And we didn’t even mention the suite of downloadable apps that bring news, sports, weather and IM capabilities, just to name a few.

Still not sold? What if we told you it pays for itself? Because it does, eventually: consumers who used a home energy management system reduced their electric bill by an average of 15%. Simply knowing what they were spending, on which appliances, during specific times of the day, helped them make better choices about their energy consumption.

You’re saving money, helping the environment and streaming your favorite music – all at the same time. Not bad for a little gadget with a 7-inch screen.