Lennox Industries Inc., a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) manufacturer will soon start conducting field tests of a web-accessible HVAC controls system, based on technology developed in cooperation with Invensys, plc. Consumer testing of the system, called e-Comfort, will begin this summer. According to officials of both companies, Lennox and Invensys are designing e-Comfort technology to allow these appliances to network with other systems inside and outside the home.
The e-Comfort technology is designed to allow users to control their HVAC systems from virtually anywhere, helping to lower their energy costs. Lennox officials said e-Comfort technology would also decrease the costs of doing business by providing troubleshooting, parts ordering, and immediate warranty processing at the job site, via the Internet. Lennox officials added that as energy markets develop different pricing systems for peak demand use, consumers will eventually be able to use the e-Comfort networking capability to minimize consumption of electricity on the most expensive days.
