“So here’s the weirdest thing about programmable thermostats,” writes Matt Rogers, the founder and head of Engineering for the Nest learning thermostat: “it’s hard to prove how much energy they save or if they save energy at all.”
That’s one hell of a way to begin an official blog post entitled “The Nest Learning Thermostat saves energy. Here’s the proof.”
But, according to Rogers, “Nest is different.”
According to Nest figures, the Nest Learning Thermostat saved US customers approximately 10 to 12% on their heating bills and about 15% on their cooling bills — which, according to Nest, equates to average annual savings of $131 to $145, “which means the Nest Thermostat paid for itself in under two years.”
But why is it so hard to prove there are savings?
“Most thermostat makers — and the EPA — have said that programmable thermostats could save you 20% or more on your heating and cooling bills,” writes Rogers. “But in real homes, the numbers just don’t add up,” he adds, blaming the fact that “most people don’t program their thermostats.”
Much to the surprise of millions of Nest customers, however, Rogers claims that the reason Nest is different is became “Nest isn’t a programmable thermostat.”
Predictably, enter Nest’s calling card: “It’s something entirely new: a learning thermostat.”
Nest, like its thermostat, is constantly improving, learning, and making adjustments. The company has even provided a helpful infographic outlining the thermostat’s evolution.
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