Project HVACe: The future of smart thermostats?

*** Update: Visit echnaton-energy.com for more info on Project HVACe ***

If you're reading this, then you are among the many people who pay a certain amount of money each month for your energy bill. That monthly amount varies, mostly depending on the weather and whether or not you want to be comfortable in your home or apartment.

What if you could save on that monthly energy bill? Would you buy solar panels to put on your roof? Many of us do not have that kind of money to support such a project. Perhaps you would just turn off the air conditioning in the summer or the heat in the winter. It's now sweater weather, so if you just wear a sweater then you don't need to heat your place, right? Try not to laugh too much at that last statement. You've probably heard the old sayings like, "Close the door, I'm not paying to heat the neighborhood!"

Maybe you've decided to bite the bullet and invest in one of those smart thermostats, like Nest and others. For about $300, you can save on your energy bill each month (maybe). What if there was an alternative to the typical smart thermostat? What would it look like, and how would it work?

That's the question that we at Echnaton (Ah-Kun-AHH-ton) Energy, LLC seek to answer with Project HVACe. Project HVACe is calling all engineers and soon-to-be engineers to design the next generation of smart thermostats. Instead of focusing on a moderate improvement on the classic HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) model with a flashy look, we seek to revolutionize the entire model itself.

This may sound like a bold claim, but it's not. There are countless talented engineers out there who use thermodynamics like the rest of us breathe. It's natural to them, and crucial to what we are working on. Our smart thermostat will focus on applying thermodynamic modeling to develop an energy-efficiency HVAC algorithm, which is the key to our unit's success. This just means that instead of a fancy-looking smart thermostat, we will develop an inexpensive thermostat whose brains are better than its beauty.

Why should you care? You're either the engineer who wants to make their mark on history, or someone who wants to save on their monthly energy bills each month - without breaking the bank. If you're the former, we are looking for you to join Project HVACe. If you're the latter, you want a unit that doesn't cost about $300 out-of-pocket, and saves you money on your energy bills each month. We need both of you, not only to design the future of smart thermostats, but also to use them in your homes and apartments. We will have to make a compelling case about why us instead of the competition, and we definitely will.

If you're an engineer who wants to see the future, come help us make it happen with Project HVACe at Echnaton Energy, LLC. For the rest of you, stay tuned for an exciting product that will put money back in your pocket for less than you'd expect. Any engineer/soon-to-be engineer interested joining Project HVACe, message us on LinkedIn or on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/EchnatonEnergyLLC/). You can also email us: [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

*** Update: Visit echnaton-energy.com for more info on Project HVACe ***

If you're an engineer reading this, chances are that you want to shape the future, use thermodynamics, create modeling/simulations, and change the world. Here's to the future of smart thermostats!

We welcome comments/questions; please keep it civil as always. Have a great day, and don't forget that sweater!