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
It's not uncommon to see light levels that are unnecessarily high, base temperatures that are too warm in the winter or too cool in the summer or more fresh air provided to a space than is necessary. So you can choose set points that just the right amount of light or space conditioning that's provided to the building.
ReplyDeleteFranklin