The natural progression in the smart home goes from one device providing singular value to many working in concert to deliver a host of benefits. While individual products are driving innovation and energy efficiency, the greatest value comes when multiple devices are controlled in coordination to maximize energy savings. The ideal smart home experience is one in which a broad range of smart home devices work seamlessly together, providing convenience to the user and enhanced value for all products in the ecosystem. The synergies derived from integration can create a differentiated user experience, when done right. The challenge of integrating a broad group of products while maintaining a solid user experience is significant.

Today, energy management solutions could be characterized as either vertically integrated solutions from a single manufacturer, or curated solutions that bring together a select group of manufacturers to execute a specific objective.  For example, a solar inverter vendor may integrate a battery storage system, a thermostat, and a water heater with the objective of improving the ROI of the solar investment, but optimizing energy consumption across energy consuming devices is not common in residential applications. Basic ecosystems that connects HVAC controls and ceiling fans or HVAC controls and shade controls to optimize energy consumption is rare or non-existent in residential applications. Each of these energy management solution types has multiple players competing for share, making collaboration more challenging.

Energy management includes many value propositions that can be delivered as part of a broader smart home solution, yet the market for energy management solutions has been slow to take off. With electric vehicles, battery storage systems and residential solar gaining momentum, combined with the growth of zero energy homes and the higher number of connected devices entering the home, the opportunity for these solutions to work together in a holistic home energy management system is needed.  

Moderated by Denise Ernst, the CONNECTIONS™ session, “Energy Management Solutions: Smart Home Crossover,” discusses the multiple product categories active in the home, the outsized and underappreciated role of energy in the smart home, and energy management scenarios emerging from industry partnerships and crossover use cases.

This session takes place on Wednesday, May 22 from 10:15 a.m to 11:15 a.m. Speakers include:

• Justin Berghoff, Dir, Business Development & Product Management, Residential, Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
• Joseph Carangelo, Executive Director, Strategy and Innovation, Baker Electric Home Energy
• Mel Fox, Product Owner, Nexia Home, Residential HVAC & Supply, Ingersoll Rand
• James McPhail, CEO, Zen Ecosystems
• Felicite Moorman, CEO, STRATIS IoT

For more information visit  www.connectionsus.com