In the past few years, the thermostat has become a cutting edge electronic. This creates new opportunities for HVAC contractors.

Thermostats are like other pieces of interactive equipment: People are thrilled by each development but move on quickly when the next feature comes along.

It’s the contractor’s job to ensure consumers understand the functionality of smart thermostats without becoming overwhelmed by the features and data.

With a little ingenuity, HVAC contractors could come out on top in the smart homes market for years to come.

The path to temperature control through smart thermostat technology is more involved than many customers realize.

The smart thermostat market continues to get crowded.

As people spend more time at home due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, the buzzwords that come to mind are comfort and convenience. The influx of smart controls and thermostats can help fulfill these desires.

Internet-connected thermostats are gaining wider acceptance in the marketplace. About 30% of residential thermostats in the U.S. and Canada are connected thermostats.

Smart thermostats offer preventive maintenance options and rebates for customers, but contractors should be sure to get educated — and educate homeowners — on utility rebates like demand-response programs.

Through the new integration, ecobee thermostat owners who also own Generac home standby generators can easily see the status of the generator and remedy potential issues.

Motivated both by rising energy costs and sustainability concerns related to climate change, consumers have grown more desirous of energy-efficient living.

Since HVAC contractors are usually the ones installing the systems, not to mention performing maintenance, when necessary, their opinions on comfort controls are not to be taken lightly

Thermostats have come a long way since the first thermostat hit the market. So, it makes sense that consumers demand more from the technology’s capabilities than ever before.

While government incentives, savings in utility bills, word-of-mouth, and increasing popularity have led to homeowner’s increased awareness of smart thermostats, there is still a lot of room in the market for growth.

Thermostat manufacturers say they have the studies to show that the use of their smart, connected thermostats can help homeowners save on their HVAC-related energy costs.

Many of Fujitsu General America’s Halcyon mini-split system products now qualify for Energy Star Most Efficient certification.

The expected surge in smart thermostat sales will have equipment manufacturers, many of whom have their own proprietary controls, competing with the well-known universal thermostat brands, such as Nest, Honeywell, and ecobee.

For years, ZoneFirst President Dick Foster has used the light-switches-in-the-home comparison while promoting the benefits of zoning. At their AHR Expo booth, they introduced a product that brought new meaning to that comparison.

Purdue University researchers have designed a predictive thermostat for heat pumps that has been shown to significantly reduce electricity use.

Take our quiz and see how much you know about some of the most powerful women the world has ever seen.

Electrical distribution systems comprise a large number of remote applications and locations, and it has traditionally been challenging to monitor and regulate these remote applications and sites. Utility companies have been installing remote terminal/telemetry units, often known as RTUs, at... Read more

The post Three most common SCADA applications in MV/LV distribution systems you SHOULD know appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

Want to know how sleep "resets" your brain? How memories are formed and retained?  Then watch The Benefits of a Good Night's Sleep, embedded below, and learn how sleep balances and regulates the body's vital systems which, in turn, affects declarative and procedural memory.

This short TED-Ed lesson by Shai Marcu is an important topic as school starts and students will soon be staying up late or all night in order to cram for tests and other educational requirements. Marcu goes into detail describing the neurological importance of 8 hours of sleep, but the application is interesting as going to sleep three hours after memorizing math formulas (declarative memory) and one hour after practicing music scales (procedural memory) is the most ideal.

I'm left wondering what I might have accomplished if my sleep and learning patterns were consistent during my formative years...
    

This technical article we will go through a number of existing applications for conducting a wide range of electrical studies. However, the practice says that studies involving load flow and fault analyses are the most commonly utilized programs in power transmission... Read more

The post Eleven most important calculations you can perform with power system analysis software appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

Solar energy is not a finite resource as fossil fuels are. While the sun is up there it constantly produces all the energy we can use. While not maintenance free, what technology really is? Once solar panels, wind or water... Read more

The post Fossil fuels are almost gone… Solar Energy? Hell Yes!! appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

This technical article covers some specific considerations (modern power supply, electric distribution, transportation, lighting controls, and communication systems) for a few most common type of commercial facilities such as banks, colleges and universities, fire stations, health care facilities and office... Read more

The post Specific electrical design tips for a few most common types of commercial facilities appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

You should know that single-phase motors are rarely rated above 5 kW. Fractional-kilowatt motors, most of which are single-phase, account for 80−90% of the total number of motors manufactured and for 20−30% of the total commercial value. A typical modern... Read more

The post The most used types of single-phase motors in the world appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

Utilities are under intense pressure to maximize the use of their current transformer asset base in order to keep rates down while yet providing excellent reliability. In order to achieve higher loading during both regular and emergency operations, long-standing loading... Read more

The post Managing power transformers in service: The most important economic aspects appeared first on EEP - Electrical Engineering Portal.

PuroClean has been named one of the most profitable franchises of 2024 by Franchise Business Review, recognized for its strong financial performance and high franchisee satisfaction.

Chicago-based tech startup Albi has been named one of LinkedIn's Top 10 Most Successful Startups, recognizing the company’s transformative platform for restoration professionals. 

At 10 a.m. do you wander into the kitchen or break room, or reach into your desk drawer for snack?

Eminent psychologists of the 20th Century and presidents of the American Psychological Association.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) today announced that FOX's groundbreaking true crime series, "America's Most Wanted," will be inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame for television. The series will be honored during the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame Ceremony, held on the Main Stage of the 2024 NAB Show, April 15 at 1 p.m. PDT.

Jim Grisanzio talks with Jeff Smith about some interesting features that have been emerging in the Oracle Database recently, such as an integrated development environment in the console for rapidly building RESTful Web Services. And many other tools for developers, of course.

The two also talk about how much Jeff and his colleagues interact with the developer community, which is substantial. Jeff's been involved with database technology, developer communities, and enterprise customers for two decades now. He's has many fascinating stories to tell. 

• Jeff Smith, Distinguished Product Manager, Oracle Database

Podcast Host: Jim Grisanzio, Oracle Developer Relations
https://twitter.com/jimgris
https://developer.oracle.com/team/ 

BELGRADE, 8 April 2016 - On the occasion of International Roma Day, the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, the United Nations Country Team in Serbia, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade reaffirm our strong commitment to equality and non-discrimination.

Today, the Romani community, Europe's largest ethnic minority, still experiences multiple discrimination and marginalisation in countries throughout Europe, including Serbia.  Roma remain one of the most vulnerable groups; they continue to face difficult living conditions and discrimination in access to social protection, health, employment and adequate housing, as stated in reports by both relevant international mechanisms and independent bodies of the Republic of Serbia.

Thousands of Roma represent the most vulnerable and marginalised among the population of internally displaced, still facing obstacles in accessing rights and durable solutions.

International and European human rights standards clearly provide for equality before the law and prohibit discrimination on all grounds, including ethnicity. The realisation of Roma inclusion will reinforce everyday democracy and the rule of law. It is the only way to reach a society based on the principle of equality of opportunity where everyone has the right to participate and to be heard.

On this day, we therefore call on all relevant stakeholders to pursue with determination 
Roma inclusion policies in Serbia, pursuant to the recent adoption of a new Strategy of Social Inclusion of Roma for the Period from 2015-2025 and the Action Plan for Realization of Rights of National Minorities by the Government of Serbia.

The Delegation of the European Union, the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the United Nations Country Team in Serbia remain committed to improving the lives of Roma in Serbia and  ensuring that their fundamental rights are respected, and to supporting our Serbian partners in this endeavour.

International Roma Day is celebrated annually on April 8, in commemoration of the 1971 founding of the International Romani Union, the first major international Romani civic initiative.

Statistical information on Roma in Serbia

• 90% of children in Roma settlements are growing up in poverty. The infant and under-5 mortality rate is two times higher than that of the general population, 15% of Roma children are born with low birth weights, one fifth is malnourished and only 13% are fully immunized.
• Romani children continue to face discrimination in the education system. Only 6% of children from Roma settlements attend early learning programs, only 64% finish primary school on time, and  only 22% attend secondary school (of whom only 15% are girls).
• Romani women and girls face multi-sectoral discrimination, as well as heightened barriers of access to services, including services for victims of violence.    Early, arranged marriage remains an issue in some segments of Serbia’s Romani communities, with very destructive consequences for – in particular – the child bride.

For more information & media inquiries please contact:

Aleksandra Stamenkovic, United Nations Country Team Communications Expert, email: aleksandra.stamenkovic@one.un.org, Phone +381 11 415 5314

Nadezda Dramicanin, Delegation of the EU to Serbia Communications Officer, e-mail: Nadezda.DRAMICANIN@eeas.europa.eu, Phone: +381 11 3083 200

Ivana Milatovic, OSCE National Political and Press Affairs Officer, e-mail: ppiu-serbia@osce.org, Phone +381 11 3606 151

Mona Alghaith, Council of Europe Office, Assistant to the Head of Office, e-mail: mona.alghaith@coe.int, Phone. +381 11 71 555 00

Related Stories

• EU Delegation, OSCE Mission, closely following situation in Serbia’s public service broadcasters
• We Are Here Together - European Support to Roma Inclusion
• OSCE Mission to Serbia, ODIHR and civil society partners to follow election of judges to High Judicial Council

BELGRADE, 8 April 2016 - On the occasion of International Roma Day, the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, the United Nations Country Team in Serbia, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade reaffirm our strong commitment to equality and non-discrimination.

Today, the Romani community, Europe's largest ethnic minority, still experiences multiple discrimination and marginalisation in countries throughout Europe, including Serbia.  Roma remain one of the most vulnerable groups; they continue to face difficult living conditions and discrimination in access to social protection, health, employment and adequate housing, as stated in reports by both relevant international mechanisms and independent bodies of the Republic of Serbia.

Thousands of Roma represent the most vulnerable and marginalised among the population of internally displaced, still facing obstacles in accessing rights and durable solutions.

International and European human rights standards clearly provide for equality before the law and prohibit discrimination on all grounds, including ethnicity. The realisation of Roma inclusion will reinforce everyday democracy and the rule of law. It is the only way to reach a society based on the principle of equality of opportunity where everyone has the right to participate and to be heard.

On this day, we therefore call on all relevant stakeholders to pursue with determination 
Roma inclusion policies in Serbia, pursuant to the recent adoption of a new Strategy of Social Inclusion of Roma for the Period from 2015-2025 and the Action Plan for Realization of Rights of National Minorities by the Government of Serbia.

The Delegation of the European Union, the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the United Nations Country Team in Serbia remain committed to improving the lives of Roma in Serbia and  ensuring that their fundamental rights are respected, and to supporting our Serbian partners in this endeavour.

International Roma Day is celebrated annually on April 8, in commemoration of the 1971 founding of the International Romani Union, the first major international Romani civic initiative.

Statistical information on Roma in Serbia

• 90% of children in Roma settlements are growing up in poverty. The infant and under-5 mortality rate is two times higher than that of the general population, 15% of Roma children are born with low birth weights, one fifth is malnourished and only 13% are fully immunized.
• Romani children continue to face discrimination in the education system. Only 6% of children from Roma settlements attend early learning programs, only 64% finish primary school on time, and  only 22% attend secondary school (of whom only 15% are girls).
• Romani women and girls face multi-sectoral discrimination, as well as heightened barriers of access to services, including services for victims of violence.    Early, arranged marriage remains an issue in some segments of Serbia’s Romani communities, with very destructive consequences for – in particular – the child bride.

For more information & media inquiries please contact:

Aleksandra Stamenkovic, United Nations Country Team Communications Expert, email: aleksandra.stamenkovic@one.un.org, Phone +381 11 415 5314

Nadezda Dramicanin, Delegation of the EU to Serbia Communications Officer, e-mail: Nadezda.DRAMICANIN@eeas.europa.eu, Phone: +381 11 3083 200

Ivana Milatovic, OSCE National Political and Press Affairs Officer, e-mail: ppiu-serbia@osce.org, Phone +381 11 3606 151

Mona Alghaith, Council of Europe Office, Assistant to the Head of Office, e-mail: mona.alghaith@coe.int, Phone. +381 11 71 555 00

Related Stories

• EU Delegation, OSCE Mission, closely following situation in Serbia’s public service broadcasters
• We Are Here Together - European Support to Roma Inclusion
• More than 1,000 local inspectors in Serbia successfully complete OSCE-supported online training course

Fox and Friends – Fox News Channel – Broadcast November 11, 2024 Partial Transcript: Morano: “When Donald Trump won the first time in 2016, their attitude was: ‘We’re going to hold this off — this is an anomaly. We have a net zero climate agenda.’ Fast forward eight years later to 2024, and that entire […]

The character who died in The Penguin's season 1 finale was always doomed, though the circumstances of their death changed as the show developed.

Disney Cruise Line is pushing customers mostly to its second Florida home in Fort Lauderdale next summer if they want to try out the new Bahamas private destination Lighthouse Point.

Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger has been named to the Time 100 “most influential people” list of 2023.

Wireframing is the first and the most crucial step in deciding the fate of an application. The right wireframe can make an excellent app – turning an idea perfectly into an app, while a wrong wireframe can break everything. And to make a wireframe perfect, you need a wireframing tool to solve your design purpose.  […]

The post Most Popular Wireframe tools Small Business Should Consider in 2022 appeared first on Usability Geek

Are Data Caps Actually An Issue? Not Really, Says OpenVault - Most Are Unlikely To Exceed Their Usage Limit fierce-network.com
Cable Giants Start Offering Free Streaming Subscriptions In Acknowledgement They Lost The Cord Cutting War techdirt.com
Verizon Continues Fiber Push, Beats Fixed Wireless Target, Awaits Frontier Acquisition telecompetitor.com
DoJ to support injunction against Disney-Fox-WBD sports streaming JV lightreading.com
T-Mobile customer goes through hell after the phones she traded in go missing phonearena.com
Google Is Reportedly Developing An AI That Will Take Over The User s Computer Browser To Complete Certain Tasks, And Is Codenamed Project Jarvis wccftech.com
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With the introduction of the first Macs that support Thunderbolt 5, you might wonder what has changed from Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4. The answer? Not much—it’s a case of evolution, not revolution. However, Thunderbolt 5 will make a difference for those with video-intensive or high-performance data transfer needs.

The 10 Most Important Banking And Financial Technology Trends That Will Shape 2025  Forbes

Renew Home says they're building a "virtual power plant" in Texas by "enabling homes to easily reduce and shift the timing of energy use." Thursday they announced a 10-year project distributing hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats to customers of Texas-based power utility NRG Energy, starting next spring. (Bloomberg calls them "AI-enabled thermostats that use Alphabet Inc.'s Google Cloud technology.") The ultimate goal? "Create a nearly 1-gigawatt, AI-powered virtual power plant" — equivalent to 1.9 million solar panels, enough to power about 200,000 homes during peak demand. One NRG executive touted the move as "cutting-edge, AI-driven solutions that will bolster grid resilience and contribute to a more sustainable future." [Residential virtual power plants] work by aggregating numerous, small-scale distributed energy resources like HVAC systems controlled by smart thermostats and home batteries and coordinating them to balance supply and demand... NRG, in partnership with Renew Home, plans to offer Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, including professional installation, at no cost to eligible customers across NRG's retail electricity providers and plans. These advanced thermostats make subtle automatic HVAC adjustments to help customers shift their energy use to times when electricity is less constrained, less expensive, and cleaner... Over time, the parties expect to add devices like batteries and electric vehicles to the virtual power plant, expanding energy savings opportunities for customers... Through the use of Google Cloud's data, analytics, and AI technology, NRG will be able to do things like better predict weather conditions, forecast wind and solar generation output, and create predictive pricing models, allowing for more efficient production and ultimately ensuring the home energy experience is seamless for customers. Google Cloud will also offer "its AI and machine learning to determine the best time to cool or heat homes," reports Bloomberg, "based on a household's energy usage patterns and ambient temperatures." It was less than a year ago that Renew Home was formed when Google spun off the load-shifting service for its "Google Nest" thermostats, which merged with load-shift management startup OhmConnect. Bloomberg describes this week's announcement as "Three of the biggest names in US home energy automation... coming together to offer some relief to the beleaguered Texas electrical grid." But they point out that 1 gigawatt is roughly 1% of the record summer demand seen in Texas this year. Still, "The entire industry has been built to serve the peak load on the hottest day of the year," said Rasesh Patel, president of NRG's consumer unit. "This allows us to be a lot more smarter about demand in shaving the peak."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The largest number of doses (85pc of the allocation) will go to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicentre of the current outbreak.

Read more: WHO announces 899,000 mpox vaccines for nine African nations most affected

The OSHA Training Institute Education Center at Chabot-Las Positas Community College District has released a top 10 list of the most frequently cited OSHA standards in 2018.

RC examines the top videos published in 2023 to gauge what drew their interest the most.

Learn the risks and rewards of planning for a management buyout to exit your contracting business

Safety professionals in every industry should analyze the most dangerous jobs and calculate the risks their employees face.