PALATINE, Ill. – May 7, 2013 – Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, today announced new features and updates to the Wiser home management system, including new digital capabilities to its consumer and utility web portals and expanded availability of its mobile app, giving them even more convenient access and control of energy use. The Wiser home management system is like cruise control for energy, providing a comprehensive solution that connects utilities and consumers, enabling homeowners to better control energy and save money, with features such as thermostat control that can be accessed through the web portal or app. Wiser provides visibility and control of household energy use, enables homeowners to drive energy efficiency by reducing or shifting energy use during peak times, and provides customizable settings for optimal comfort.
Wiser’s utility customer web portal, Wiser Home Management, and utility enterprise web portal, Wiser Utility Operations, both powered by Calico Energy Services, have recently been updated to meet customers’ needs and make information more easily accessible and useful. Wiser Utility Operations is a web portal that allows utility providers to manage home locations, view analytics and forecasting, manage internal users and communities and generate reports. The Wiser Home Management customer web portal for homeowners provides access to energy usage, graphs and comparison charts, as well as budget tracking.
Key features of the Wiser Utility Operations dashboard give utility providers the ability to:
· Manage home locations, communities and internal users.
· Create demand response programs and events that homeowners can participate in.
· Track meters and load, as well as validate and manage devices.
· Create rate structures/plans, flat rate plans, time of use plans and block plans.
· Access real-time data and predictive analytics that allow users to fine tune load management programs for maximum efficiency by adding Wiser Analytics.
Key features of the Wiser Home Management dashboard give homeowners the ability to:
· Set budget goals and then view energy consumption against budget goals and progress towards goals.
· View and automate thermostats from anywhere to reduce temperature while no one is home and return it to a preferred setting before arriving at the house, driving cost savings and optimal comfort.
· Use smart plugs to manage specific devices such as lighting, display energy use, usage patterns, and easily turn devices on or off.
· Participate in demand response programs and events, allowing for enrollment in these programs, manage and opt-in/opt-out of events and ultimately benefit from incentives and savings.
The Wiser app, which can be downloaded by customers for free, now supports Android devices, in addition to iPads, iPhones and iPods, making saving on energy bills even easier with the ability to control the Wiser thermostat and smart plugs, as well as view energy usage. Wiser also leverages data from the
Green Button initiative, allowing consumers to easily and securely download energy usage from a utility or electricity supplier, better manage energy consumption and cost, and view customized infographics.
“With our Wiser home management system, we are providing a solution that fits with homeowners’ lifestyles and need to manage energy costs with access to information anywhere, anytime through digital platforms” said Yann Kulp, vice president, Strategy & Business Development, Schneider Electric. “We are enabling utility providers to empower homeowners by giving them easy access to their energy usage, so that they can make their homes more energy efficient and comfortable while benefiting from cost savings.”
The Wiser home management system includes an energy monitor,smart thermostat, in-home display, smart plug and other load controls, and now expanded web portal and mobile app usability. The Wiser smart thermostat is programmable and communicates usage and pricing via changing color screens. Built with ZigBee Smart Energy technology, it’s connected to other system components and remotely controllable by the in-home display, the Wiser Home Management web portal, and the Wiser app. The in-home display is a control center and dashboard that is designed as a real-time communication path from the utility to the customer. The system is designed to securely enable load control and demand management.
