GridPoint, a provider of smart energy systems, and ecobee, a green technology company, have form a collaboration that will allow GridPoint's home energy management system to support ecobee’s smart thermostat.
According to ecobee, its thermostats feature a full-color LCD touch screen and advanced options for simple programming.
GridPoint’s home energy management system, an offering that provides the foundation for an interactive relationship between utilities and consumers, allows for the easy integration of third-party devices – including smart thermostats, in-home displays, energy dashboards and smart plugs – into utility smart grid and energy efficiency programs, the company said.
The company claimed that this system provides utilities with device control for optimal load management capabilities, while at the same time increasing customer satisfaction and interoperability between and among technology utilized within the smart grid.
GridPoint’s common, automatic provisioning and management system reduces operations costs while enabling the adoption of emerging communications standards, the company added.
The ecobee system enables utilities to deploy projects that will provide customers control and choice of how and when they consume their energy while allowing the utility to manage demand response programs to create environmental benefits.
ecobee claims that it also provides utilities with a future proof platform, a lower long term cost of ownership, and a standards compliant platform. ecobee products can be controlled through a web portal as well as an iPhone and iPod touch app.
Stuart Lombard, CEO and president of ecobee, said: ”This partnership reflects our commitment to delivering a great consumer experience. ecobee is committed to providing solutions that will allow utilities to be more responsive to customers’ needs for energy usage and pricing information, tailored energy options and greater individual customer awareness and control.”
Michael Donohue of utility division at GridPoint, said: ”Utilities are helping their customers understand and manage their energy consumption by utilizing the growing number of energy monitoring and management devices available to consumers.
“Our solution offers customers the flexibility to link to the devices that help them understand and control their energy consumption, and we see ecobee’s Smart Thermostat as one of those devices.”