NYSERDA Supporting Development of Voice-Recognition
Thermostats
Devices Will Simplify Programming Procedures, Lower
Energy Consumption
RELEASE: IMMEDIATE, March 7, 2001
CONTACT: Tom Collins, NYSERDA
(518) 862-1090, ext. 3250.
Albany, NY – A lot of people talk to their programmable thermostats.
The problem is that they are usually cursing the devices because they
are so difficult to program. In fact, studies show that only 31% of
owner-occupied homes with programmable thermostats installed have
actually programmed the devices. The number is as low as 13% in renter-occupied
homes. While programmable thermostats show promise to help homeowners
reduce their energy consumption and costs by 10 to 30%, the difficulty
in programming the devices is believed to limit the technology’s
ability to save energy.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
is working with ENERNET Corporation of Dewitt (Onondaga County) to
develop a simplified programmable thermostat that is programmed with
voice commands rather than a complex series of buttons. Once programmed,
these types of thermostats save homeowners energy by automatically
lowering the temperature setting overnight or at times when the home
is generally unoccupied. Most devices provide homeowners with a wide
range of times to program to account for typical weekdays, when homes
are largely unoccupied, as well as weekends when it is more likely
that someone is home all day. While this wide range of options makes
the devices attractive to homeowners, the complexity of programming
them results in the fact that most are never programmed.
“We’ve seen a tremendous increase in fuel costs these
past few winters that has resulted in higher heating bills,”
said NYSERDA President William M. Flynn. “Available technologies
such as programmable thermostats that can reduce these costs by
upwards of 30% – if used properly. Our goal is to simplify
the technology, so that consumers can take advantage of the energy-saving
characteristics.”
NYSERDA’s project with ENERNET will develop voice-recognition
capabilities for programmable thermostats. The final design has yet
to be determined, but it is likely that homeowners would be prompted
to input times and temperature settings according to when the home
is occupied and when it is not occupied. The device would then essentially
take control of the heating system and adjust the temperature of the
home according to the times and settings input. The problem with conventional
thermostats is simply that people forget or do not think to adjust
the temperature when they leave the home for extended periods of time,
leaving the heating system operating while no one is home.
“We anticipated finding a meaningful number of programmable
thermostats used manually rather than being programmed,” said
ENERNET Corporation's President and CEO Bradley J. Hesse. “Our
research, however, uncovered a much larger problem than expected.
A voice-recognition thermostat allowing you to program it with a
few simple voice commands would be a tremendous benefit, not only
to the typical user, but also the elderly, visually impaired and
other handicapped individuals. In addition, we will create more
New York State based manufacturing jobs as this product is commercialized.”
NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation, supports research to develop
technologies that help New York save energy and reduce emissions.
NYSERDA also helps New York State businesses develop energy and environmental
products, commercializing the type of high-value-added products that
give New York State businesses a real chance to compete in the expanding
global marketplace. In addition, NYSERDA helps New York State businesses,
residents, and municipalities identify and implement cost-effective
energy efficiency measures that lower operating costs and reduce environmental
emissions.
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