NFIB

Remote Control: New technology helps business owners slash energy costs
01/ 25/ 2006
by Karen Bannan

Longing for spring when you open your energy bill? The average small-business owner can expect his oil and propane heating bill to be about 32 and 30 percent higher, respectively, than last season’s, according to a report issued by the Energy Information Administration. That means keeping energy costs down will be a priority until warmer weather arrives.

While most people understand the benefits of a programmable thermostat, new automation technology promises to help business owners slash costs even further. For example, the Marblehead, Mass.-based home automation company HomeLogic recently introduced several IP-based home control systems. ClimateBrick controls up to 16 zones and lets you adjust and control thermostats in-house as well as remotely via an Internet connection or PocketPC, according to Joe Lautner, HomeLogic’s vice president of marketing and sales.

ClimateBrick also lets you see a historical view of your thermostat usage so you can ramp it down to save money. And it features an e-mail or telephone notification if your heating or cooling system stops working, or if temperatures go above or below a preprogrammed point. “The ClimateBrick acts as a Web server, so you are always within one click of your office,” Lautner says.

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