The Nest learning thermostat
Posted by Guest Blogger on August 22, 2012
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, programmable thermostats can help you save anywhere from 5 to 20 percent on your heating and cooling expenses. However, 40-70 percent of the people who own these devices find them to be difficult to operate.
Enter the Nest – the first programmable thermostat of its kind. This thermostat takes notice when you adjust the temperature in your home and eventually programs itself just by following your routine.
Two of Wright-Hennepin’s employees – IT Manager Tony Heid and Vice President of Energy Distribution Lance Hovland – have been testing the Nest to see if it really is as user-friendly as it claims to be. After their first month of using it, they’ve both said they’re impressed with the thermostat’s operation and feel it has improved energy savings in their homes.
“If you dislike traditional programmable thermostats because they’re too complicated, if you want the ability to remotely change your homes’ temperature, or if you’re an early adopter who likes to check out the latest gadgets – this product would be a great fit for you,” said Tony Heid.
It takes the thermostat about one to two weeks to learn a household’s schedule. If you want to edit its schedule, you can make adjustments directly on the thermostat or access the thermostat through a simple, easy-to-use app from your smart phone or computer.
Hovland said the thermostat’s app is a nice feature that enables him to easily monitor and control the temperature of his home while maximizing his household’s energy savings.
In addition to being able to remotely adjust the Nest’s settings, this thermostat can also sense when you’re home or away and shows how long it will take for your home to cool or heat to a certain temperature.
It’s also fairly easy to install. Heid and Hovland both said that there are easy to follow instructional videos online that give you step-by-step instructions on how to install the product.
Both Heid and Hovland also like the product’s innovative look.
“It has a much more decorative feel to it than our previous plastic thermostat,” said Hovland. “The digital display is easy to read and automatically shuts off when you are not near it, allowing it to blend in with its surroundings.”
Although both Heid and Hovland are pleased with the thermostat’s performance, Heid said it would be a hard sell for the price. The Nest costs about $250 for the product itself. If you plan to have it professionally installed, that could cost an additional $100.
“It’s a cool gadget,” said Heid. “But as much as I like the thermostat, it’s a significant up-front investment to purchase the product.”
For more information on this thermostat, go to www.nest.com.
- Lindsay Scherer, communications specialist, Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association