The Smart Home of the Future

Brian Sloboda

Program and Product Line Manager

brian.sloboda@nreca.coop

• Money

• Environment

• Security

• Community

• Gadgets

• Hipster

• Mixed

What Resonates With Consumers

• Home Energy Network (HEN)

• Smart Home

• Autonomous Home

• Internet of Things

What to Call This?

• Who has this role at your organization

• This is lost at many tech start ups

• What does the consumer want in a

smart home?

Voice of the Customer

Smart Home

• Allow end-users to

control energy

• Integrate data from

many sources,

remote monitoring

and access,

• Take advantage of

price and demand

signals from the

utility

What’s Connected?

Key Components

• Central device to coordinate signals

• Outlets that allow control

• Appliances/devices that allow control

• Wi-Fi/Broadband Internet

• Reason/motivation/desire

Moving Targets

• Standards

• Actions

• Accessibility

• Need

• Use

Killer App?

Apple HomeKit

Or is this the “Killer App”

Why Would Consumers Care?

• No mission critical reason

• Remote diagnostics

• Turn appliances on/off remotely

• Potential for energy efficiency

• Participate in load control

• Techie coolness

• May not have much of a choice

Is There an Electric Utility Role?

• Load control

• Energy efficiency

• Bill presentment

• IoT offerings are bigger than energy use

I

n

d

e

p

e

n

d

e

n

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Passive Consumers

People in Programs Trust Utilities

Trust of Utility

E

n

g

a

g

e

m

e

n

t

Utility

Active

• Don’t be everything

• Don’t over promise

• Do provide a concrete value

• Are easily explained

• Can be connected to the sponsoring

Best Programs

Future Steps

• Don’t be pushed around

• Understand future consumer needs

• Financial implications are key

• Predict success, plan for failure

• Partner, Partner, Partner

Brian Sloboda

Program and Product Line Manager

NRECA

brian.sloboda@nreca.coop

Thank you!