ALBANY, NY - While programmable thermostats show promise in helping homeowners reduce their energy consumption and costs by 10-30%, the difficulty in programming the devices is believed to limit the technology's ability to save energy. While many homeowners have installed such devices, only 31% have actually programmed the devices, and the number is as low as 13% in renter-occupied homes.

To help solve this problem, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has begun working with ENERNET Corp. to develop a simplified programmable thermostat that is programmed with voice commands rather than a complex series of buttons. The final design has yet to be determined, but it is likely that homeowners would be prompted to input times and temperature settings according to when the home is occupied and when it is not occupied. The device would then essentially take control of the heating system and adjust the temperature of the home according to the entered times and settings.