Wi-Fi-enabled, the Total Connect Comfort with ADR thermostat for the home connects with a suite of utility technology and services to manage energy consumption. 

ecobee announced its Smart Si thermostat with ZigBee Smart Energy Profile (SEP) is now compatible with Southern California Edison’s (SCE) advanced metering infrastructure network.

The OpenADR Alliance announced that the Open Automated Demand Response (OpenADR) smart grid standard enables compliance with the new Title 24 California Energy Code, in effect Jan. 1, 2014. The new code includes more stringent regulations for demand response (DR) capabilities within lighting and HVAC.

EnergyHub and Southern California Edison (SCE) announced that EnergyHub is enrolling thermostats from a number of thermostat manufacturers and service providers as part of SCE’s residential demand response study on programmable communicating thermostats this summer.

The OpenADR Alliance, a nonprofit corporation created to foster the development, adoption, and compliance of the Open Automated Demand Response (OpenADR) smart grid standard, has announced the addition of several new members to bring total membership to 100.

Telkonet Inc. announced that its EcoSmart energy management system will be provided to hospitality customers nationwide through Constellation’s “Efficiency Made Easy” program. The program bundles a multi-year electricity agreement with energy conservation measures, including the EcoSmart system. 

Commercial buildings have become increasingly sophisticated with the adoption of new automation technologies and building management systems. As building owners and operators look for ways to better utilize these technologies to achieve greater efficiencies, their interest in demand response programs is also growing.

The OpenADR Alliance, which advocates for adoption of the Open Automated Demand Response (OpenADR) smart grid standard, announced that California investor owned utilities plan to require the OpenADR 2.0 standard for new customers in their Demand Response (DR) Enabling Technology programs in 2013.

The home energy management (HEM) market has struggled to gain traction, but today that is starting to change, and over the remainder of the decade momentum is expected to build.