Earth Networks Awarded Patent For Optimizing and Controlling Energy Consumption In Homes and Businesses

WeatherBug Home’s unique energy optimization & control capabilities deliver significant Energy Efficiency and Demand Response improvements to consumers & utilities

Germantown, MD – February 22, 2016 – Earth Networks® today announced it has been awarded a patent for its unique capabilities for optimizing and controlling the energy consumption of a building (e.g., homes and businesses), based on the building’s unique energy characteristics and weather data at its location.

By integrating its weather ‘big data’ (Earth Networks’ proprietary cloud processes 25 terabytes of real-time data daily from its neighborhood-located sensor network) with connected thermostats and/or utility meter data, Earth Networks creates a unique thermodynamic model for each building to precisely model and forecast the energy required to heat or cool each building on each day.  The integrated solution, WeatherBug Home, employs this patented model and proprietary data to optimize and automate the control of a home’s HVAC system such that consumers save energy and money while maintaining comfort, and utilities enjoy superior, intelligent energy efficiency and demand response.

Specifically, WeatherBug Home’s patented technology has demonstrated:

• Better Energy Efficiency: a recent study found consumers saved 16.5 percent in energy costs when using a connected thermostat integrated with WeatherBug Home versus a standard thermostat.
• Better Demand Response:  last summer, WeatherBug Home delivered 1.76 kW/home in peak load shed in Texas versus 1.5 kW/home for other market participants, or 13% more DR while maintaining comfort.
• Better Consumer Engagement: consumers have responded enthusiastically to the virtual home energy audit ScoreCards made possible by this patented technology, with 2% home energy use reduction, and hundreds of thousands of consumers engaging with their energy use each month via the WeatherBug mobile app.

“Our patent award and market results affirm our ability to deliver unprecedented energy efficiency to consumers and utilities,” said Bob Marshall, chief executive officer, Earth Networks. “Our model and data define energy optimization intelligence – using less energy without less comfort – which is the basis of making a connected home a smart home.  We look forward to building upon these significant milestones to meet our commitment to designing innovative solutions that provide significant value to our customers.”

About Earth Networks: Powering WeatherBug & WeatherBug Home

For 20 years, we have been Taking the Pulse of the Planet® using the world’s largest weather, lightning and greenhouse gas monitoring networks. Our sensors across the planet keep consumers, businesses, and governments informed, updated and alerted. Our popular WeatherBug® brand provides neighborhood-level weather, superior forecasts and advanced severe weather alerts to millions. Our WeatherBug Home offering taps big weather and connected home data for improved energy efficiency and comfort. Enterprises such as schools, airports, professional sports teams, utilities and government agencies rely on our early warning solutions to safeguard lives, prepare for weather events, and optimize operations. Know Before®.

Media Contact:
Brian Lustig
Bluetext for Earth Networks
202.469.3608
Brian@Bluetext.com