The home automation and control market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.36 percent between 2014 and 2020, and reach $12.81 billion by 2020, according to a new market research report published by MarketsandMarkets.

Ecovent, maker of wireless vents and sensors for home HVAC systems, announced that it will showcase its smart thermostat system at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The Versatile Simplicity SE controls feature a built-in LCD display and navigation joystick that provide quick access to menus that display unit status, options, and current functions; supply, return, and outdoor temperatures; fault codes; and other information. 

As technology advances and major players like Apple and Google step into this market, more consumers are going to start demanding products that can integrate and function in a smart home system. And as consumers start to expect more from their HVAC equipment, they’ll also expect more from their contractor.

After years of sputtering growth, the home energy management (HEM) market has begun to gather momentum, notes Navigant Research. Product vendors, utilities, service providers, retailers, and other stakeholders report increasing activity, and there are signs of growing awareness among consumers.

Venstar® has announced the release of its new Firmware 3.14 update for its ColorTouch® residential and commercial color touch screen, programmable thermostats. This update delivers added automated demand response (ADR) and equipment fault detection (EFD) in compliance with California’s Title 24.

According to an ON World survey with over 1,000 U.S. adults, over a third believe they will have wireless sensors in their home within five years and 20 percent of the likely adopters expect to have 50 or more wireless sensors installed within the next five years. 

GE and Quirky have unveiled seven new connected home products — including a smart HVAC controller designed to replace thermostats — that are available now on the new Wink.com. At the website, consumers can purchase more than 100 Wink-compatible partner products from 15 brands.

Savant®, a leading smart home technology company, has released new survey results that indicate more than half of consumers in the United States believe that home automation will be an everyday feature in less than 10 years.