Parks Associates Identifies New Strategies to Engage Consumers in the Smart Home and IoT Markets

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Feb 19, 2015) -  Parks Associates hosted Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer this week in Austin, Texas, where industry analysts and executives addressed new strategies to accelerate innovation and capture the business potential in energy markets. Two-thirds of U.S. broadband household are willing to pay for a smart energy management service, but awareness remains low for smart home products and solutions and where to purchase them.

The conference, February 16-18, offered key insights from executives from energy providers, device manufacturers, and technology companies in the smart home and energy management markets. Parks Associates notes that while nearly 60% of U.S. broadband household replaced at least one light bulb in the home with a more efficient CFL or LED bulb over the last 12 months, environmental benefits and even cost savings will not be sufficient benefits to drive broad adoption of smart home solutions.

"Interest in smart energy solutions is strong, but in drilling down, no single offering is driving demand," said Tom Kerber, Director, Research, Home Controls & Energy, Parks Associates. "Consumer motivations and value perceptions are diverse, and continued efforts to add value to smart home services and energy efficiency programs will help expand the market and move consumers beyond single products. Among current smart product owners, 27% bought their first device as part of a kit, so it will be key to offer multiple value propositions while ensuring interoperability."

Smart Energy Summit keynotes included NRG Energy and SunPower Corp. In a special fireside chat, executives with ecobee and SmartThings discussed new business models in the smart home and energy markets and emerging strategies to engage consumers.

"The consumer value proposition for smart home products and services is changing," said Stuart Lombard, President and CEO, ecobee. "For example, the connected thermostat has a simple but meaningful value proposition that customers love. Once customers experience that value, they start looking for the next connected device to make their lives simpler and better. The market is evolving to reach that next step, moving beyond the initial value proposition to the next extension of smart home technology."

"Consumers don't want to think of smart home solutions from a platform perspective; our best sellers are kits that bundle devices to offer a value proposition," said Dan Lieberman, Head of Research and Standards, SmartThings. "What we have found is that consumers, after buying a kit, will double the number of their devices over the first 30 days. Once they go in to solve one goal, they recognize there are other things they can do with this technology and these devices."

"Interest in the connected home has been rapidly increasing, yet there are a few challenges that must be overcome in order to make the smart home a reality," said Sujata Neidig, VP of Marketing, Thread Group. "A simple and reliable network must be put in place that will allow multiple devices to easily connect and work together seamlessly. A low-power solution is also crucial, and it is imperative that connected home products incorporate adequate and appropriate security measures to make sure that private data is protected."

"We're still in the very early stages of smart homes, and as more and more homeowners demand better control over their home environment, this will naturally lead to opportunities for savings," said Jacob Nielson, Business Development Leader, Emerson. "Often people think that we have to trade comfort and preferences for efficiency, but the truth is they tend to go hand in hand."

Smart Energy Summit sponsors are Smart Utility Systems, Lowe's, Alarm.com, ecobee, Emerson, NRG, People Power, PlanetEcosystems, Southern California Edison, Tendril, Tyco, WeatherBug Home, WSI, the professional division of The Weather Company, Z-Wave, EcoFactor, and WattzOn. Supporters are Antenna Systems & Technology, CleanTX, Engerati, FierceEnergy, Home Gateway Initiative, HomePlug Alliance, IoT Today, KNXtoday, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, OpenADR Alliance, OSGP Alliance, Remote Site & Equipment Management, SmartGridNews, U-SNAP Alliance, UPnP Forum, Utility Dive, Wi-Fi Alliance, and WSNBuzz.com.

More information is available at www.ses2015.com. To speak with an analyst or request specific research data, please contact Holly Sprague, 720-987-6614.

About Smart Energy Summit

Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer examines the expanding market for the smart home and the role of energy solutions within the Internet of Things, including connected devices, energy management, utility services, and home control platforms and services.

Smart Energy Summit addresses strategies for utilities, service providers, retailers, and manufacturers to expand and monetize their energy offerings by engaging consumers, developing new business models, and creating unique partnerships.

The summit agenda features thought leaders representing utilities, state and national regulators, telecom and security companies, retailers, and OEMs presenting on the state of the market and the emerging consumer and business opportunities.

The sixth-annual Smart Energy Summit will take place February 16-18, 2015, at the Four Seasons Resort in Austin, Texas. www.ses2015.com