I’ll admit that with three boys running around here we don’t have the cleanest house on the block, but I bet we have one of the more efficiently run homes in the neighborhood. I’m proud to have a house that’s so connected. Heck it even has its own Facebook page, although I’m still uncertain why it continues to ignore my friend requests. Part of this connection I’m so proud to mention today has to do with our home’s environment, the heating and cooling kind. This is all thanks to the Nest Learning Thermostat or as we call our set up, Yoda. This sophisticated yet simple piece of equipment uses the force some very intuitive hardware and software to help us manage our HVAC system.
This next generation thermostat isn’t a one temperature “pony.” This device learns your schedule and will start programming itself with just a few turns of the dial up or down. The initial installation and setup couldn’t be any easier. Here are the links to my unboxing and installation videos, with a follow up video below to give you my thoughts on how much I’ve really enjoyed Yoda. In the video I also discuss a market where I believe these devices could be of great benefit, and you know I love pairing technology with health related topics.
So after the initial setup, Nest starts to dial in on your HVAC system, your schedule, and the temperatures that you like. When you’re hot just turn it down, and when you’re cold just turn it up. Nest will start to pick up on these cues. The built in sensor along the bottom will assist the Auto-Away™ function to kick in and Nest will set itself to a more efficient temperature in the home. You can choose these parameters upon initial setup and update them as you need to. Of course schedules change and if the Auto-Away™ function kicks in, you can always cancel this right from the device or the mobile app, which I’ll talk about in a moment.
The Nest Leaf™ that is displayed on the device indicates that the thermostat is set to a temperature that promotes an energy savings. This is where I think it really shines. The more leafs you have during the days/weeks, the more energy you’re saving, and nest will send you an email outlining your energy usage. According to Nest, “changing the temperature just one degree can cut your energy use up to 5%.” Our personal experience has been that our bills have been cut by as much as 30-40% during some months. At a $249 MSRP entry point, we’ve already earned that back and then some.
Now my most favorite feature on the Nest is the mobile app. It really is the bees knees. As a nurse and a technology evangelist, this is where I’ve been making a strong case for its use in many homes where the device needs to be accessed remotely. Caregiving, whether from a distance or in your home has physical and emotional challenges. Nest can help alleviate some of the stress that goes along with keeping the temperature just right for those that we’re caring for.
As I mention in the video below, Nest was a huge help while I cared for my mother in the home. She was on multiple medications and had a multitude of diagnoses that really made it challenging to regulate her internal body temperature. I was often in the community caring for my clients and she’d call to let me know she was either hot or cold. Nest made a valiant effort to learn and accommodate her needs, but this is where the mobile app really helped me remotely control the temperature for her.
As you can imagine Nest will require a home wifi connection to use the web and mobile app interface, but for those of you who do not necessarily need these features it will still be an incredible device without it. But, why wouldn’t you want to unlock its full potential? The Nest also receives weather updates and can make adjustments accordingly, so this is really another area where a wifi connection comes in handy.
So check out the video and then head on over to Nest for more information and make the investment.
Oh, and Nest, I know you’re doing an incredible sales and marketing job out there, but if you need some assistance with gaining more exposure in the health and human services space then don’t hesitate to reach out.
*Photo courtesy of Nest Labs
*Yoda is a trademark of Lucas Films and is in no way affiliated with Nest Labs, Innovative Nurse, and does not actually use the force in our home.
Wow this is some reall good advice.