Thermostat Optimization Evaluation
Project Number ET16PGE8021 Organization PG&E End-use HVAC Sector Residential Project Year(s) 2016 - 2019This report details findings from EMI Consulting’s evaluation of a thermostat optimization assessment project in which Whisker Labs, in collaboration with Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC), deployed Whisker Lab's Connected Savings Energy Intelligence Platform (Connected Savings) thermostat optimization service from June of 2017 through May of 2018 to 1,225 residential customers in PG&E’s service territory at no cost. To understand the effectiveness of this program, EMI Consulting conducted a participant survey and billing analysis, as detailed in this report. The Connected Savings thermostat optimization service sought to generate electric and natural gas energy savings by optimizing how customers used their existing communicating thermostats. In addition, Whisker Lab sent customers personalized Home Energy Scorecards, which contained information about their HVAC usage and tips for saving energy. One purpose of these scorecards was to communicate the need to program efficient schedules, as the thermostat optimization did not change a customer’s schedule or setpoint directly but rather was meant to execute existing schedules more efficiently.