InTouch & emPower: Combining Mobile Home Security & Energy Management

For those home owners hesitant to spend thousands of dollars on an energy management system, a cross-over solution does exist. Two innovative home security products provide extended functionality to allow their clients to remotely control home temperature and lighting from the same mobile interface they use to monitor and control home security. Many of these customers are also eligible for rebates and incentives provided by insurance companies for home security and state and local governments for energy efficiency investment.

InTouch from CPI Security

InTouch provides home owners remote control of lights, appliances, and temperature from the convenience of a mobile device such as a smart phone or tablet PC. The platform is tied directly to the user's home security system, and programs can be set to adjust settings based on the status of the home alarm. Additionally, the already robust security alert system has been extended through InTouch. Home owners can now receive text message or email alerts when automated energy settings have changed.

empower from Alarm.com

Alarm.com's emPower platform provides functionality similar to InTouch. In addition, emPower allows users to build out smart energy usage schedules to further control and minimize energize costs and "reduce their Carbon footprint(1)." Users can confirm these settings have taken hold by utilizing previously installed security cameras. Given all of this functionality, one must question the overall energy gains being made. The technology, however, is quite impressive.

Though the functionality of both of these applications pales in comparison to some of the more robust energy management applications available, the tie in to home security and ability to view live streaming video of the home make it an attractive option. A partnership between these home security systems and a pure energy management platform would have a unique competitive advantage in this growing market place.

NOTES:

(1) emPower Demo Video: http://youtu.be/-FqEBMScOzc Accessed May 7, 2011

Tendril Energize: Demand Response Goes Mobile

This month (May 2011), Tendril, the energy platform company based out of Boulder, CO, is set to launch their Energize application suite “that opens a dialogue between energy providers, ecosystem partners, and consumers to manage energy use in real time.”(1) Utilizing research in consumer behavior, the firm plans to provide its customers (utilities, commercial, and residential energy users) with a suite of services to help them better manage energy use, reduce costs and minimize waste. Included in this suite will be Demand Response, Load Control, and Energy Efficiency programs.

Previously, in March 2009, the firm had released the Vantage Mobile Platform (2), an extension of their Tendril Residential Energy Ecosystem (TREE) platform, with very similar functionality. This new platform offers significantly greater integration and control over both the home environment and participation in utility scale programs.

Key functionality:

Personal Goals and motivators: Behavioral research shows goals are a critical element to the successful implementation of energy efficiency programs. The Tendril Energize platform will allow users to set goals and track progress on these items from their mobile devices. Additionally users will be able to compare how they are performing relative to their neighbors, a model similar to the successful OPOWER platform.

Dialogue between utilities and customers: During peak usage periods, utilities will have the option to contact their customers directly via email or mobile device and provide incentives for them to participate in demand response events. As an example, on the hottest day of the summer I may be able to receive $10 in energy credit by turning my thermostat up to 75 degrees, all of which would be observable on the Tendril platform.

Usage data: Depending on the number of Zigbee related devices in the home, users can receive a monthly summary, daily lag, or 15-minute (or shorter) delay on meter data. If the user is a Home Area Network (HAN), energy usage for all Zigbee-enabled devices plugged into an outlet can be monitored and controlled.

Key Issues:

Cost of Zigbee technology: To fully leverage the mobile capability of the platform, those homes most wired and configurable will achieve the most significant results. Zigbee devices monitor usage at the outlet level. Currently, these outlets run for around $100 each, a hurdle many customers are not ready to leap.

Level of utility based incentives: Utilities will need a large customer base to achieve significant gains from any load control or demand response programs. Their initial incentive levels and frequency of these programs will be key to driving users to the platform.

Overall, this technology has all the elements of the dream smart phone energy management system. As Tendril forms more utility partnerships, the scope of their services may be difficult to beat.

NOTES:

(1) Tendril Energize White Paper. http://www.tendrilinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/r2_TEN-375-EnergizePrintCollateral.pdf Accessed May 7, 2011.

(2) Tendril Mobile Energy Management System. http://www.gizmag.com/tendril-mobile-energy-mangement-system/11198/ Accessed May 6, 2011

(3) Tendril Smart Grid platform promotional video

Control4: Cutting Edge Home Energy Automation

Already at the forefront in home automation software, Control4 last year announced the launch of MyHome for IPhone, Ipad, tablets and PCs. The app allows individuals already leveraging Control4’s home product line to control lights, temperature, and energy usage as well as movies, music, and security, from the touch screen of their mobile device.




An exciting extension to the MyHome platform was released in Europe in February 2011. This excerpt was taken from a Control4 Press Release:

“The Control4 My Energy application works with energy monitoring devices to help homeowners manage their energy consumption. The app offers two views - Dashboard and Electricity Use. In the Dashboard setting, customers can monitor their home’s electricity price per KwH, cost per hour, current use and daily use. In the Electricity Use setting, the user can also view two-hour real-time data, historical data for the week, month and year, and run comparisons of current consumption to previous periods at a granular level, to the extent that it can be plotted to average daily outside temperature. In this way the homeowner is able to identify spikes in usage to adjust their settings and/or routine to save energy and reduce bills. (1)”

The functionality sounds very similar to the work already being done by Google Powermeter and Microsoft Hohm; however, the interface comes with the critical ability to directly adjust current settings and automate routines to save energy. Unfortunately for the average consumer, this added benefit comes at a high additional cost. According control4 dealer forums(3), installation and set-up for a home can cost $100,000+. Certainly, less integrated systems would carry significantly lower costs. If the goal is automated energy control, however, such a high investment may be necessary. At the present time, the costs likely outweigh the benefits. It may be a few years before these systems become an attractive investment for home owners.


NOTES:
(1) Control4 brings energy management application and more to Europe. http://www.control4.com/about-us/press/2011/02/01/ise-apps/
Accessed April 24,2011
(2) This video provides more information on the My Energy platform



(3) Control4 Dealer Forums: http://www.c4dealers.com/viewtopic.php?pid=35849

The Growing Enterprise Energy Management Market

Global business spending on application software in 2010 was $168 billion. Of that, only $163 million was spent on enterprise carbon and energy management systems (ECEM). Vendors in this market, however, report an average annual growth of 235% since inception. Taking the launch of the Apple App store in 2008 to be the start of this market, revenues in this space have more than doubled from 2009 to 2010. As the technology matures and mobile platforms proliferate, adoption rates are expected to increase. The smart phone is truly transforming the way businesses think about energy management.

According to a Forrester Market Analysis, the ECEM industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 83%, reaching $903 million in 2013(1). The report goes on to say that North America and Europe will provide the major market opportunities and that manufacturing, utilities, and the public sectors will provide the most significant areas for growth. The following graph from the report provides a more specific brake-down:



Though a $1 billion market will represent significantly less than 1% of the mobile application software market in this aggressively growing space, it certainly provides a significant opportunity for developers and vendors to provide valuable and demanded services. Given the relatively young nature of the industry and the low barriers to entry, one can reasonably anticipate quite a bit of market crowding to occur over the next few years. Things will get interesting once the big players (e.g. Microsoft, Google) find ways to effectively enter the scene. Even if they are unable to do so successfully, expect market consolidation as dominant players emerge.

NOTES:
(1) Data and Image from a December 2010 Forrester Report: The Evolution of Enterprise Carbon and Energy Management Software. Available here:
http://www.ca.com/~/media/Files/IndustryAnalystReports/forrester_evolution_of_enterprise_carbon_and_energy_management.pdf