Right on the heels of yesterday’s article about Google rumored to be testing a new Smart Thermostat, we get an exclusive article from our friends at Android Police that Google is indeed, working to revived their unsuccessful PowerMeter, with a new, and more aptly named, EnergySense – a Home Energy Management system. This would be a perfect match for Google and a Motorola made thermostat, keeping all of the technology and equipment, in-house, so to speak. Home management from a smartphone is nothing new as the technology has been out there for a while, and there is no better place to start than with the thermostat with the huge savings in money that can be derived from simply controlling ones’ home temperature.
AT&T Digital Life offers a package that can do as little as home security and monitor your windows and doors for break-ins, to complete home automation, where you can control the thermostat to turning on specific lights to even monitoring the water pressure to notify you if there is a pipe breakage somewhere. Verizon offers their package called Home Control, and so do many private firms…I am surprised that Google does not have a full-blown package available by now, but it looks like the starts of one are right around the corner.
Their tipster says that all of the usual thermostat control will be included, such as presets for Awake, Away, Home, and Asleep – presets are not fully automated, but Google is looking into more automation with possibly a tie-in to Google Now.
As far as hardware goes, the parts are not made by Google and are all from outside manufacturers, but will be compatible with Google’s services and app. Ecobee and Nest are two of the possibilities – Ecobee claims they currently have no working relationship with Google, but the Nest offers more features, such as motion detection, that other smart thermostats lack.
With more and more smart appliances, lights, door locks, thermostats, and more “smart” items being developed all of the time, it would make sense that Google would want a piece of this action and tie it in to Google Now voice commands.
Let us know on our Google+ Page if you are using or interested in using a Home Energy Management system and which one do you use to control your home’s environment. Are you pleased with it and do you recommend that others use one as well.