Samsung’s SmartThings smart home energy management system is the first mass-market system to be ENERGY STAR certified, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday.
Such systems help homeowners manage their energy use by integrating a range of smart appliances, including electric vehicle chargers and electric water heaters. To qualify for ENERGY STAR certification, EPA requires a SHEMS to at least include a certified smart thermostat, lighting and monitor/control plug loads.
Households with a SHEMS “will be able to track and automate everything from their lighting to their thermostat use to optimize for energy savings that lead to financial savings and a reduced carbon footprint,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.
The only other SHEMS certified for the ENERGY STAR program is Baltimore Gas & Electric’s BGE Smart Home Solutions. Certified in January, BGE launched its system in 2020 in a pilot with SmartMark Communications.
According to EPA, since 1992 the ENERGY STAR program has helped save 5 trillion KWh and avoid more than $500 billion in energy costs.
