AUSTIN, Texas —Parks Associates will host its fifth annual Smart Energy Summit on Feb. 17-19 at the Four Seasons in Austin, Texas.
During the event, attendees and Parks Associates analysts will evaluate partnership opportunities, technological and interoperability challenges, strategies for consumer engagement, and deployment plans for energy and management solutions in the connected home.
A specific topic the conference will cover is helping electronic security contractors improve their businesses by offering smart home management technology. Parks Associates latest research reveals that nearly 66% of all U.S. broadband households find a smart-home bundled package appealing, which could include a variety of home safety, security and management offerings. Most attractive is the home management bundle, according to the firm, because it includes safety alerts, remote home monitoring, and remote thermostat management.
“Consumers, while interested in smart-home services, are averse to long-term contracts, but there are other, alternate options for building revenues,” says Tom Kerber, director of research, home controls and energy, Parks Associates. “To avoid monthly monitoring fees, consumers are willing to let their service provider adjust their thermostat during peak hours. There is also interest in in-app purchases and advertising, which could be a source of incremental revenue for product manufacturers and service providers.”
Attendees can learn more about these offerings during a panel session moderated by Kerber titled, “Partnerships & New Business Opportunities for the Smart Home Platform,” on Feb. 18. A four-person panel will discuss mutual goals among utilities, service providers, OEMs and other third parties and business strategies in designing and deploying consumer services. The panel will include:
- Joe Jankosky, director of intelligent home vertical markets, Time Warner Cable
- Jay Kenny, vice president of marketing, Alarm.com
- Letha McLaren, vice president of product management, iControl Networks
- Kevin Meagher, vice president and general manager for smart home, Lowe’s
For more information about the Smart Energy Summit, visit www.ses2014.com.
