REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – July 22, 2014 – EcoFactor®, the leader in cloud-based home energy services, was awarded U.S. Patent 8,751,186 for the use of connected thermostats to calculate the dynamic thermal properties of buildings. It is the 20th patent EcoFactor has received for its award-winning approach to energy management and intelligent home automation.

EcoFactor’s latest patent further extends its coverage of key technologies involved in the use of big data to manage energy use and improve home automation. EcoFactor has also received patents for its pioneering advances in areas including:

• Geolocation: the use of location-based information from smartphones and other mobile devices to help consumers automatically reduce energy use when they are away from home and adjust to a more comfortable setting when they arrive.
• HVAC Performance Monitoring: use of thermostat data to evaluate changes in the operational efficiency of an HVAC system over time and identify HVAC system faults and fault trends.
• Plug-in HVAC: extends the energy efficiency and savings benefits of EcoFactor’s cloud-based home energy management system to plug-in air conditioners and space heaters.

“EcoFactor has invested heavily in technologies that have now been proven in the real world to deliver triple-digit annual savings for consumers, industry-leading demand response, and high customer satisfaction,” said Roy Johnson, EcoFactor CEO. “Each patent is another indication of the innovation and creativity of our team, and adds to EcoFactor’s value as a leading-edge home automation player.”

About EcoFactor:

EcoFactor’s cloud-based analytics platform unlocks the value of residential data to intelligently predict and automate energy savings for consumers. Patented software analyzes data from various sources such as network connected thermostats, weather data, and consumer interactions, and applies optimization algorithms tailored to the unique characteristics of individual homes and of homeowners.  Our residential energy services achieve maximum demand response load shed, delivers superior energy efficiency savings, and detects and prevents HVAC failures.  Our services are purchased by consumers through channel partners including Comcast, Reliant Energy, NV Energy, and Sacramento Municipal Utility District.  Based in Redwood City, California, EcoFactor is privately held and funded by Claremont Creek Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners, Aster Capital and NRG Energy, Inc. For more information: www.ecofactor.com.