Energy Management

Universal Electronics launches the UEI Comfort family of connected thermostats designed to simplify installation, daily use and ongoing support of climate control in residential, commercial and hospitality applications.  The first product in the UEI Comfort family will be available to OEMs in the second half of this year with a version designed for the hospitality industry to follow later in the year. These thermostats offer advanced capabilities in a compact design with a vibrant large color display that hosts an extremely intuitive graphical interface combined with supportive physical controls for quick access to common features.

At the recent International Builders’ Show Schneider Electric showcased its Wiser Energy Monitor, Square D Energy Center and new connected wiring device range for home builders seeking innovative ways to drive efficiency and sustainability. These new smart solutions allow homebuilders to differentiate their homes through increased electrical system connectivity, transparency and enhanced energy control.

Smart home and home automation systems include a wide range of solutions for controlling, monitoring and automating functions in the home. Smart home systems can be grouped into seven primary categories: security and access control systems; energy management and climate control systems; audio-visual and entertainment systems; lighting and window control systems; healthcare and independent living systems; home appliances and service robotics.

PulteGroup and Georgia Power are collaborating with a number of technology partners to create Atlanta's first "Smart Neighborhood".  Located in Atlanta's Upper West Side at the intersection of Marietta Boulevard and Bolton Drive the housing development will feature the latest connected home technologies.

The acquisition of Alertme by British Gas is now bearing fruit for the energy company. According to Centrica, British Gas’s parent company, connected home services revenue is up 30% to the end of April 2017, with over 600,000 connected hubs installed and over 900,000 connected products sold to date.

Frances state owned energy supplier has setup a new team to take advantage of the growing need for connected home services among its customers.  EDF's CEO Jean-Berard Lévy made the announcement at the Parisian Cultural Center, Gaite Lyrique, dedicated to digital art.  EDF has joined a list of other energy supplier in Europe and around the globe that has gone down this route by offering their customer added services that will help then to better manage their energy use.

The year 2020 will mean different things to different businesses, however, I have noticed that many businesses, governments and world organisations have set themselves goals which they would like to achieve by 2020.  In terms of numbers it is five years from now and five years short of a quarter century.  For the connected home sector there are many predictions around its worth by the year 2020 and how many homes will have the technology.  The sector is not short of evangelists and analysts, predicting many changes and milestones for the sector.

Traditional home automation devices were designed to control systems within a house and within a limited range of connectivity; however, with recent developments across different areas of connectivity of appliances and devices, these systems enable users to monitor and control them even when they are on the move. This includes mobile connectivity features, an integral component of smart homes provided by device manufacturers; and compatible communication protocol and technology based products offered by Internet Service Providers.

Todo today, announced at CeBIT that they are partnering with IFTTT (If This Then That) to enable the use of the tado's geolocation feature for purposes other than smart heating or cooling. They are also offering developer and partner API for to further Tado's integration with other IoT and home appliances.

British Gas is determined to make the connected lifestyle a norm for its 4 million plus customers, along with the rest of the UK. The company is investing millions into developing and offering its customers added value services via its ‘Connected Home’ initiative.