Our Project

The Smartstat is a thermostat that makes saving energy easy and convenient. It features a user-friendly web interface that can be accessed from your computer or your smartphone, so you can program your thermostat anytime and from anywhere.

In theory, programmable thermostats are a great idea. The user programs in his or her daily schedule, and the thermostat automatically turns down the heat or air conditioning during periods of sleep or absence. Programmable thermostats are supposed to save money on utility bills and help the environment by making it easy to use heating and air-conditioning systems in a more energy-efficient way.

In practice, however, using a programmable thermostat is anything but easy. Setting up programs requires picking through tedious, confusing manuals and lists of codes - a process so confounding that some users end up having to call in HVAC specialists. The problem is so severe that programmable thermostats were removed from the U.S. Energy Star program as of December 31, 2009, largely due to concerns about the diffculty of using them properly. [1] The main cause of the usability problem is easy to identify: these thermostats are trying to provide complex programming functionality through a limited on-device interface consisting of nothing more than a few buttons and a small screen. There's nothing inherently diffcult about programming a thermostat; all it requires is an improved user interface.

That's where the Smartstat comes in. The Smartstat will be programmed via browser and smartphone applications that are easy to use and accessible from anywhere. These applications will feature an intuitive interface based on a well- known paradigm: the calendar. Constructing Smartstat programs will be similar to adding repeating appointments in Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar - a concept with which most people are already familiar.

Homeowners and small businesses will likely fnd the Smartstat especially attractive. Whereas larger facilities may have complex HVAC systems controlled by facility managers, people who own homes or small businesses just want a single thermostat that they can program quickly and easily without having to consult a specialist. For such people, the Smartstat will provide an ideal solution.