Modern Home Control: Z-Wave-based solutions reduce heating costs and electricity consumption

European Home Control Summit: Green Homes – Huge potential savings with Z-Wave

Copenhagen/Frankfurt, 20. March 2008 - As part of the 1st European Home Control Summit, taking place in Frankfurt/Main from 8th to 9th April, Z-Wave Alliance will be presenting solutions which reduce heating costs and electricity consumption in each and every household. The use of Z-Wave-based “wireless" radiator thermostats alone, for example, can lower heating costs by up to 30 percent: for the average household, that means savings of up to EURO 500.00 a year. Alongside the thermostats, the Summit will showcase solutions which also bring considerable reductions in other household electricity consumption.

In recent years, world-wide electricity and heating costs have sky-rocketed, particularly in Europe. Heaters and radiators are Germany’s biggest energy consumer, yet essential for home comfort. According to the Heizspiegel, the independent body for heating cost comparisons in Germany, fuel oil costs have risen by 44.3 percent since 2000 and gas costs by 57.8 percent. According to a German independent watchdog agency electricity costs have also risen by an average of 50 percent since 2000. An increasing number of Germans are looking to deal with the drastic price rises through economy. 73 percent of those questioned by the polling institute FORSA said they wished to save on energy costs in 2008. House and apartment owners in older buildings in particular are being forced to practice economy due to the rapid rise in energy prices.

“In such a situation, the industry faces the challenge of providing consumers with the means necessary so that they themselves can economize", explains Bernd Grohmann, Senior Director, Product Marketing at Zensys. “Z-Wave technology makes it possible exactly to control or adjust energy consumption for each device, each room or the entire house. The use of a wide range of sensors and controllers means that consumers may now, at any time, adjust their home environment to meet their desired energy consumption level.”

A large number of inexpensive Z-Wave products are already available. These allow the consumer significantly reduce his energy consumption. Companies such as Danfoss, Merten, Innovus, Seluxit, Everspring, düwi, Hawking, and Horstmann have already launched home control products in the European market which allow energy costs to be monitored and controlled.

The Danish Electricity Savings Trust recommends Z-Wave
Z-Wave’s role in saving energy is also demonstrated in a recent study published by the Danish Electricity Saving Trust (DEST), an influential state non-profit organization which assists consumers and public institutions in saving energy. The trust has recommended Z-Wave as the ideal technology for use in the wireless home communication sector. As Göran Wilke, Head of Secretariat at the Danish Electricity Saving Trust, put it: “The Trust recommends Z-Wave for various reasons. It is not only an open standard which allows products from various manufacturers to be combined and thus simpler, better value third-party products to be developed; Z-Wave also offers customers enormous potential to save money and energy.”

Other topics at the European Home Control Summit are:
- Home Control: OEM perspectives
- The trend towards Unified Home Control™
- Remote Home Management – a lucrative business for service providers
- Comfort and lifestyle – how Home Control makes life easier
- Greater security – driving consumer acceptance
- Z-Wave Eco-System – advantages for OEMs and consumers

… and many more topics. You will find the complete agenda and registration page at: www.z-wavealliance.org/hcs

More Information:
Zensys Inc.
39350 Civic Center Drive
Suite 210, Fremont, CA 94538

Bernd Grohmann
Senior Director Product Marketing
bgr@zen-sys.com

PR-Agency:
Sprengel & Partner GmbH
Nisterstraße 3
D-56472 Nisterau

Fabian Sprengel
Tel.: +49 (26 61) 912 600
Fax: +49 (26 61) 912 6013
f.sprengel@sup-pr.de

About Z-Wave
Z-Wave® is the first technology to bring affordable, reliable and easy-to-use wireless control to every aspect of daily life – the home, consumer electronics, healthcare, and energy use, to name a few. Z-Wave is an award-winning, proven and interoperable wireless mesh networking technology that allows a wide array of devices in and around the home to communicate including lighting, appliances, HVAC, entertainment centers, and security systems. Z-Wave brings many benefits to everyday life including remote home monitoring, home healthcare, safety and security, and energy conservation. Z-Wave certified products are currently available from leading consumer brands in more than 225 products. Z-Wave is the recipient of the 2006 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Award in the wireless category, the CNET “Best of CES Award” in the enabling technologies category, along with PC World’s 2006 World Class Award, which recognizes the 100 best technologies and products of the year. For more information about Z-Wave please visit www.z-wave.com

Z-Wave® is a registered trade mark of Zensys, Inc. and its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

This release was published on openPR.