Honeywell Energy ICM helps dealers diversify

MELVILLE, N.Y.--Promising to help businesses and homeowners conserve energy and money, Honeywell on Sept. 3 introduced a Web-enabled device called the Energy Internet Connection Module. The Energy ICM is part of Honeywell’s ICM product line, which is designed to enable customers to control security, lighting and HVAC systems remotely via computer, PDA or cell phone. Tim Trautman, senior product manager for Honeywell Cable and Custom Electronics, said the Energy ICM will work with other ICMs and can, for example, be programmed to lower thermostats when a homeowner arms a security system. Security integrators and installers are looking for ways to “leverage their expertise,” said Trautman. This product “allows them to do exactly that on a production home, a retrofit or remodel job,” he added. “They can take this [new] technology and combine it with technology that Honeywell now delivers to put together something that has quantifiable value.” The Energy ICM enables homeowners and businesses to manage their energy consumption online. To see how much energy their home or business is using for its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, users log onto a secure Web site, which also provides reports about energy consumption, including historical data and data about the local area energy usage, tips for improving energy efficiency and calculations of potential and realized cost savings. GE Security’s SmartCommand offering similarly addresses the energy crunch, and its Enviro Monitor graphically shows users how much energy they’re saving on an annual basis. Integrators can customize the Honeywell system to fit their customers’ needs, and enable the whole security, lighting and HVAC system “to really sing,” Trautman said.