"thermostats" articles

Energy costs are rising, and large-scale blackouts are making headlines around the US. Consumers and energy providers are looking for ways to reduce costs and manage peaks that lead to grid instability and power outages. HVAC remains the largest load in private households, so it remains the logical target for improved management, and smart thermostats are the best tool commonly available today for that management task. AEP Ohio and their regional partner PJM Interconnection...

Use cases that reduce OPEX in apartment environments include access management and control, energy management, and automated risk mitigation. These solutions can improve operations and add new layers of safety, security, and convenience.   Access Control   Access control use cases typically involve smart home solutions installed in common and public areas, including smart locks, smart garage door openers, and smart video doorbells.  ...

The single-family builder channel has really warmed to the installation of smart home technology as standard, in addition to offering options as upgrades. Drivers include: Increasing consumer demand for smart tech on par with other traditional new home features. In a Builder Study by Parks Associates, 80% of large-scale builders rated smart speakers as highly popular and 72% rated integrated smart home control and entertainment systems as highly popular. This compares to 84%...

Energy management is growing in importance to businesses worldwide. It is a core component of most corporate initiatives around sustainability or specifically more ESG, which stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. Companies are examining their business practices and energy usage profiles and identifying ways through which they can reduce their energy usage, reduce their energy spending, transition to renewable and sustainable energy sources, and store and generate energy to...

There is growing interest from consumers in saving energy and being more energy efficient. Energy savings and reduction of energy bills have always been leading drivers of smart home technology. When included in energy management programs, smart home devices help reduce barriers to saving energy.   Smart home device capabilities include the following:   Remote control of energy-consuming products – Smart home devices allow consumers to...

The smart home will achieve significant penetration and widespread adoption among consumers, but the rate and speed of adoption are dependent on many factors. As connectivity in the home increases year-over-year, smart home players have a chance to capitalize on and push the smart home forward. No single company holds the future in its grasp. And, despite the promising future and the smart home’s remarkable potential, there is still a disconnect between market hype and...

Last week, Parks Associates hosted a virtual session “ Home Energy Management Solutions: Driving Energy Savings ,” Thursday, June 30, as part of the 13th annual Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer . In these sessions, we shared our research and also conversations from the industry on consumer adoption of smart energy devices and interest in energy management use cases. Our latest consumer study, “ Smart Energy at Home: Renewable, Responsive, Resilient ,” reveals most...

New technologies are becoming available to consumers through innovative connected devices in the home. Multiple brands have released new connected products geared at improving convenience and helping consumers monitor and address daily living challenges. While consumers are interested in leveraging the benefits of new connected products, fears and concerns about choosing the right product can inhibit adoption.  Purchase consultation services can help consumers sort through the...