Middleton, MA April 19, 2021 — The Integrated Home Competition presents an opportunity for manufacturers of connected home solutions to gain recognition for their automated and interactive products that not only provide energy savings and load management capability, but also deliver upon consumer expectations for interoperability, reliability, and simplicity. Innovative industry leaders are rewarded through endorsement and promotion from competition sponsors and others.
Residential end uses covered in the 2021 Competition span electric and natural gas equipment; eligible product include heating and cooling equipment, thermostats, water heaters, combination space and water heating equipment, pool pumps, plug load controls, window attachments, lighting and lighting controls, ceiling fans, and other connected home devices that successfully deliver a positive consumer experience, energy management, and relative alleviation of utility system stress.
The Integrated Home Competition rewards market leadership of solutions that advance the CEE Integrated Home vision where devices and systems effectively communicate to provide safe, reliable, and affordable energy services while offering a pathway to a cleaner energy future. Award winners receive credible third-party promotion and recognition by the competition sponsors for one year and are positioned to receive utility endorsement and incentives. All entrants receive insight and direction on future utility needs.
Products are evaluated through a two-phase process: screening by the Advisory Committee and a live assessment of the finalists by a Judging Panel comprised of individuals with expertise in usability, interoperability, the CEE Integrated Home, IDSM program administration, product or system installation, specific technology performance, and promotion. Entries are judged against the following criteria:
The Judging Panel may reward entries that exhibit other desirable characteristics such as relevance for hard-to-reach audiences (assisting in achieving energy equity objectives), accessible design, future proofing, niche applications, and field serviceability. All entrants will receive feedback from the Advisory Committee after the screening process, or from the expert Judging Panel after the live evaluation in September.
About
The CEE Integrated Home is a connected, fuel neutral, interactive, and efficient home where devices and systems effectively communicate to provide new customer, utility system, and societal value. The Integrated Home Competition supports this vision through public promotion of commercially available solutions that are simple, reliable, well-designed, and highly functional. It builds on the fifteen-year success of the Lighting for Tomorrow (2002-2017) and subsequent Lighting & Homes for Tomorrow (2019-2020) competition to provide a platform for distinguishing innovation in service to Integrated Demand Side Management Objectives including traditional energy savings. The Competition is organized by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), the American Lighting Association (ALA), the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), and UL; it is sponsored by over thirty energy efficiency utilities, trade associations, and research entities across the United States and Canada.
For complete guidelines and entry information, please visit https://www.integratedhome.net/enter-now/ or contact competition@cee1.org.
