The SaaS-based solution is expected to maximize energy efficiency programmes for utilities and consumer service providers, while delivering heating and air conditioning (HVAC) savings to consumers.
EcoFactor will participate in the “Take A Load Off, Texas” residential energy efficiency programme sponsored by Oncor, a regulated electric utility delivering power to approximately three million homes and businesses in Texas.
The agreement with Oncor calls for EcoFactor to deliver an efficiency-centric demand response programme to eliminate the need for 3MW of peak power–the equivalent of about 2,000 average-sized air conditioning units.
John Steinberg, CEO and co-founder of EcoFactor, said: “EcoFactor is a personalized approach to energy management that takes into account thousands of data points, such as weather patterns, a home’s unique thermal characteristics and the occupant’s ever-changing preferences, in order to provide a more effective solution that is responsive to the conditions at each individual home.”
EcoFactor’s participation in the “Take A Load Off, Texas” programme comes on the heels of two years of field tests in diverse climates, including Minneapolis, Minnesota and Adelaide, South Australia. In these trials, the solution’s assessment of the thermal characteristics and occupant preferences reduced manual thermostat overrides by up to 90%, eliminating the need for homeowners to readjust their thermostats with the “up” and “down” arrows, while also optimizing HVAC usage for an average cost savings of 20 to 30%, EcoFactor said.
