Today

Aug 13, 2009 14:12 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft is ready to tackle the requirements imposed by consumers for the smart homes of the future today. The Redmond company pointed to its Hohm Cloud application as the solution capable to be the perfect “accessory” for increasingly energy efficient homes. With Hohm, the software giant is enabling end users to reduce energy consumption while saving money and of course going green by reducing their carbon footprint. With energy conservation increasingly regarded as an indispensable aspect of smart homes, Hohm is ready to usher in the energy conservation efforts of tomorrow.

“The most scalable, cleanest and cost-effective energy source comes from conservation,” commented Jon Arnold, Microsoft’s Worldwide Power and Utilities director. “Consumers want to take an active role in their own energy management. They are more environmentally aware and want to save money and conserve.”

Live since June 2009, Hohm provides a web-based application designed to provide personalized energy- and money-saving recommendations to consumers. The advanced analytics capabilities of the Cloud app can be tailored to specific situations and home environments. All that users need to do in order to start using Hohm is to navigate to the application’s home page, sign up with a Windows Live ID and create a home profile complete with its location. Currently the service is addressing consumers in the US, leveraging algorithms and data from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy, but it does have the potential to go international.

Smart utilities will be able to connect to Hohm and take advantage of the scalable tool offered as a free service in order to provide data on energy consumption and conservation in the household. Such utilities are already available to consumers, which can integrate them into their homes and connect with Hohm. Products capable of linking up with Hohm are being delivered by companies such as Puget Sound Energy, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Seattle City Light and Xcel Energy .

“We share the belief with Microsoft that better information leads to better choices in energy use,” explained Steve Reynolds, CEO and president of Puget Sound Energy. “Microsoft Hohm will help our customers be more energy-efficient by providing new insights and understanding into how they use energy and how they can conserve.”