Smart Electrical Monitoring System Less Than $2k

It just got a whole lot less labor-intensive and less expensive for integrators to provide in-home energy monitoring solution for their clients.

A new HVAC-based system from Home Comfort Zones in Beaverton, Ore., not only functions as an energy saving smart thermostat, but by adding modules it can also monitor electrical usage. As an added bonus, unlike other offerings, it can identify individual appliances without having to go through the trouble of wiring up separate line-voltage circuits or installing countless smart-outlets.

Marketed as a sub-brand called EMME (Energy Management Made Easy), it is much more than just an HVAC device. The base system is called Core, and its capabilities can be expanded with three modules: Sensors, Zoning, and Power.

Smart Thermostat Connected to Wi-Fi
Core consists of a 7-inch, color, touchscreen display and an equipment interface panel. Out of the box the display functions as an Internet-enabled, smart thermostat and allows homeowners to adjust the temperature, create schedules, and employ energy saving tools like “away” mode. Core is connected to the Web via Wi-Fi; this means the homeowner can perform all of the same actions on the road from any device with a Web browser, such as a Smartphone.

The Internet connection also makes it possible for Core to access local weather and utility rates. Using this information, combined with historical performance data, Core can properly time when to begin conditioning the home when coming out of setback. It can also determine which HVAC system to run when dual fuel solutions are in place.

Wireless Temp Sensors
The first module, called Sensors, equips the system with three wireless sensors and an HVAC system monitor. The wireless sensors are used to track the actual temperatures where people spend their time and give Core a better awareness of the conditions within the home. The sensors also allow it to employ “smart circulation,” a technique that reduces temperature differentials by manipulating the fan speed without running the furnace burner or air conditioning compressor.

The HVAC system monitor tracks the temperature and pressure within the air handler. EMME takes all the sensor data as well as historical run time data and sends text and email alerts when the filters need to be changed, the HVAC equipment is losing efficiency or if the HVAC system goes down.

The Zoning module divides the house into as many as four zones using traditional mechanical dampers. In the future EMME will be upgradable to a full room-by-room zoning solution similar to Home Comfort Zones’ sister product, MyTemp. That system offers up to 24 zones by using inflatable dampers that are installed inside the ductwork.

Electrical Usage Monitoring
Finally, in what might be the most powerful aspect to the system, EMME has the ability to monitor the electrical usage of an entire home, as well as individual appliances, using the Power module. The Power module is mounted near the home’s electrical panel. But unlike other systems on the market it does not require you to wire up every circuit in the house or use smart-plugs to track individual appliances.

Instead, it uses sophisticated software that has the ability to detect and distinguish the unique electrical signatures of virtually any electrical device in the home. For example, when the refrigerator kicks on, the system knows it based on the unique electrical signature created by the appliance. That information can then be coalesced into a report for the homeowner showing electrical usage by device and displayed on touchscreen.

How much? Core with all three EMME modules through distribution will cost approximately $1,355. For a less expensive option you can buy Core and then upgrade with the modules later on. The estimated labor time for installing Core and all three modules is approximately two hours. According to Jon Brodeur, vice president of business development , the company has turned a “$12,000+ solution into a sub $2,000 solution.”

I know it’s a bad pun… but this smart HVAC system is pretty cool.