Energy Efficiency Requires Merging Technology and Occupant Behavior
Author Archives: CPO Team
Internet of Things: Are We Meeting its Full Potential?
The Internet of Things (IoT) is catapulting new services and innovation in various industries and is at the heart of our business in the home energy management sector. But like all technology, IoT needs to offer incremental value that exceeds the cost and time savings required to harness its potential.
As I see it today, the IoT value stack can be thought of as having four layers:
- Two-way data transmission: The foundation of the IoT value stack, this is the ability for a device to exchange data packets with a remote server, regardless of how that device connects to the Internet.
- User-to-machine (U2M) remote manipulation: Leveraging two-way data transmission, U2M access allows a defined set of control signals to be sent from the remote server to the device, so that the device can then respond accordingly.
- Data conversion to knowledge: This third layer is all about storing data collected from connected devices and running analysis to detect patterns and valuable insights. These insights can be repurposed to inform and educate companies of an individual device or an aggregate of devices.
- Machine-to-machine (M2M) adaptive control: The highest and final layer in the IoT value stack, M2M adaptive control combines the knowledge and understanding that comes from analyzing all that raw data with the ability to remotely manipulate the device. This layer is all about automation.
The IoT space is full of “we do, because we can” initiatives. But it’s really the combination of connectivity, data management, and analytics that create the opportunity for hardware and software to meet its full potential of providing end-users the myriad benefits of IoT.
You can learn more about the IoT evolution in an article I wrote in the upcoming November/December print issue of Wireless Design & Development.
NV Energy’s mPowered Program Powered by EcoFactor Wins Second Consecutive National Award
NV Energy’s mPowered Program Powered by EcoFactor Wins Second Consecutive National Award
Green Jobs: Wellinghoff Plans His Next Step; New Execs at Vivint Solar, EcoFactor, Heraeus
EcoFactor Appoints Steve Smith as New Vice President of Sales
Redwood City, Calif. — October 31, 2013 — EcoFactor®, the leader in cloud-based home energy services, today announced the appointment of Steve Smith as vice president of sales. Smith comes to EcoFactor with more than 20 years of experience in the utility and energy industries. He will lead the sales team and oversee strategic accounts at EcoFactor to grow its base of utility providers and energy retailers.
“Steve brings in years of industry and business development experience and is a wonderful addition to EcoFactor,” said Roy Johnson, CEO of EcoFactor. “We are excited to have him on board as we move into our next stage of growth and expansion.”
Prior to joining EcoFactor, Smith was sales and marketing director at Honeywell Utility Solutions, where he built and led a team that sold more than $1 billion of demand response, energy efficiency and smart grid solutions. He is a frequent conference speaker and a leading expert in residential demand response. Smith holds an MBA from Northeastern University and a BSEE from the University of New Hampshire.
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About EcoFactor
EcoFactor’s cloud-based analytics platform unlocks the value of residential data to intelligently predict and automate energy savings for consumers. Patented software analyzes data from various sources such as network connected thermostats, weather data, and consumer interactions, and applies optimization algorithms tailored to the unique characteristics of individual homes and of homeowners. Our residential energy services achieve maximum demand response load shed, delivers superior energy efficiency savings, and detects and prevents HVAC failures. Our services are purchased by consumers through channel partners including Comcast, Reliant Energy, NV Energy, and Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Based in Redwood City, California, EcoFactor is privately held and funded by Claremont Creek Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners and Aster capital. www.ecofactor.com.
Media Contact:
Mary Placido
EcoFactor
+ 1 (415) 218-3627
mary.placido@ecofactor.com
EcoFactor Broadens Patent Portfolio for Home Energy Services
New patent leverages the mobile device to further improve automated energy savings
Redwood City, Calif. — October 30, 2013 — EcoFactor®, the leader in cloud-based home energy services, was awarded a United States patent (No. 8,556,188) for the use of geolocation data from smart phones and other mobile devices to optimize home energy management services. This is the 14th patent for EcoFactor, boosting its patent portfolio in the residential energy management sector.
The patented technology will enable EcoFactor to add significant new capabilities to its award-winning service. It covers a unique method for using location-based information, such as whether a consumer is on their way home, to optimize the temperature in the home for comfort to coincide with arrival, or to move to a more energy efficient setting when driving away – all without requiring the consumer to remember to change settings.
“We believe the winning energy management system will be the one that does the best job of seamlessly adapting to people’s lives and preferences without requiring them to constantly make adjustments to their thermostats,” said John Steinberg, executive vice president and co-founder at EcoFactor. “Soon geolocation data from mobile devices will help increase both savings and user comfort while letting consumers get on with their lives.”
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About EcoFactor
EcoFactor’s cloud-based analytics platform unlocks the value of residential data to intelligently predict and automate energy savings for consumers. Patented software analyzes data from various sources such as network connected thermostats, weather data, and consumer interactions, and applies optimization algorithms tailored to the unique characteristics of individual homes and of homeowners. Our residential energy services achieve maximum demand response load shed, delivers superior energy efficiency savings, and detects and prevents HVAC failures. Our services are purchased by consumers through channel partners including Comcast, Reliant Energy, NV Energy, and Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Based in Redwood City, California, EcoFactor is privately held and funded by Claremont Creek Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners and Aster capital. www.ecofactor.com.
Media Contact:
Mary Placido
EcoFactor
mary.placido@ecofactor.com
Apps From The ‘Third Platform’
Media Kit
About Us
EcoFactor is transforming how homes use energy by applying advanced analytics to connected devices in the home. EcoFactor’s cloud-based application actively manages thermostats on occupants’ behalf in intelligent ways that improve comfort while helping them save time, energy and money. Utilities, home service providers and homeowners rely on EcoFactor for demand response, energy efficiency, and HVAC performance monitoring services.
Founded
2006
Funding
$25 Million from Claremont Creek Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners, NRG Capital and Aster Capital
Corporate Headquarters
1450 Veterans Blvd, Suite 100
Redwood City, CA 94063
(650) 716-4760
www.ecofactor.com
Twitter: @EcoFactorCo
Patents &Awards
22 patents held for energy management
PowerGrid International’s Project of the Year – 2015
AESP Outstanding Achievement in Pricing and Demand Response – 2015
SAMCEDA Innovator of the Year – 2015
Management Team
Matt Plante, CEO
Shayan Habib, COO/CFO
Mohsin Hussain, CTO and VP Engineering
Devkumar Das, SVP Global Sales
Richard Hunley, VP Utility Sales
Matthew Tolliver, VP Business Development