Hey y’all! I’m Taylor Moellers and over the next couple months, I will be exploring the realm of energy management and testing out the home energy management system ERGY, the latest product from Echo Labs.
About Me
I moved out to Denver 2 months ago, from the small college town of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Before the move, I was working at the Virginia Center for Wind Energy at my Alma Mater, James Madison University. There I received my Bachelors of Science in Integrated Science and Technology, a broad-based, applied science program that encompasses courses in energy, environment, biotechnology, engineering, manufacturing, telecommunications, computer programming, and social context. I am committed to making a positive impact in sustainable energy use by spreading awareness and education about how each of us can make smarter energy decisions.
So how did I end up out in Colorado? I am finishing up my first quarter in the Environmental Policy and Management Master’s degree program at the University of Denver (fingers crossed for finals this week). Through mutual friends of my roommate Pat, I met Echo Labs’ Nick Thielmann at a BBQ here in Denver. After an animated conversation about the current state of energy technologies, policies, and attitudes, I was curious to find out more about his work with ERGY. So here I am, writing this blog to assess whether ERGY lives up to all of Nick’s boasting.
Why ERGY?
Paired with a home automation system, ERGY guides smart energy decisions quickly and efficiently. ERGY lets you access YOUR data, giving you real-time feedback in an understandable way. This system is available for residential and small to mid-scale commercial applications.
A few weeks ago, I knew next to nothing about home automation. The idea of being able to track my own energy use seemed out of reach. Now, I can easily change my thermostat settings on my iPhone from anywhere. I can even freak out my roommate by turning lights on and off when I’m not home! Here are a few screenshots taken from my iPhone as I’m working on this post right now:
What’s to come?
The value of ERGY lies in empowering users to go beyond their energy bill and really understand their own energy use. Hopefully that understanding will guide smarter energy choices on a very personalized level. Over the next couple months, I will be experimenting with my ERGY system to see if I can use energy more efficiently within my own apartment. Whether you’re a diehard environmentalist looking for ways to save on your electricity bill, or just psyched about this awesome bit of technology, I hope you will follow me as I experiment with ERGY and explore the world of energy management. Be sure to check back next week for an update on my first week with the system!
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