Microsoft has released a beta of Hohm to help consumers save energy and reduce their utility bills. The free application is built on the Windows Azure cloud operating system and was developed with help from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Department of Energy.
Together with Pugent Sound Energy, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Seattle City Light, and Xcel Energy, Microsoft is offering Hohm through rebate and conservation programs. The application allows utility companies, who acquire Microsoft’s software development kit, to supply customers with information about their energy consumption.
Consumers who are customers of a Microsoft Hohm utility partner will be able to upload energy-usage data into the application in the not-too-distant future, according to software giant.
“Microsoft saw a need for a solution that could not only help support consumers’ conservation efforts, but that was widely accessible, user friendly, and tailored to the user’s actual energy usage,” said Troy Batterberry, product unit manager for Microsoft Hohm. “Microsoft Hohm attempts to meet those needs.”
Given the right tools, consumers are willing to participate in energy-saving programs. Eighty percent of U.S. consumers would participate in an energy program if offered by utilities, according to a Gartner report in May.
Microsoft’s application will provide recommendations tailored to the specific energy use in a consumer’s home. The software uses information such as the home’s design and features, the appliances used, and usage patterns.
Recommendations from Hohm include everything from removing air leaks and replacing window caulking to installing automated thermostats. For users who do not enter specific information about their home, the application will provide recommendations based on local and national averages.
Another feature in Microsoft’s Hohm is a community link that allows consumers to connect, exchange ideas with, and find referrals from others in their area.
Hohm’s beta launch comes four months after rival Google introduced its…