Smart home
How Cotherm empowers homeowners
Fifteen percent*. That’s how much energy and money the average household can save with a programmable thermostat. But in 2018, only 20% of users reported using their electric heater’s programmable features. That’s where IoTize, a connectivity module provider and ST Authorized Partner, and Cotherm, a leader in the HVAC industry came in, transforming an arduous task into a fast and intuitive experience.
* Energy efficiency and the misuse of programmable thermostats: The effectiveness of crowdsourcing for understanding household behavior (escholarship.org)
“
Together, we’ve disrupted the market and helped homeowners save big on energy.
”
Thierry Camillieri, Cotherm CEO
Challenge
- Make energy saving functions accessible to all users
- Price sensitivity–customers unwilling to pay more
- Seasonal business–hit the market before winter set in
Solution
- Integrate an NFC tag into units, a radio link widely used in mobiles
- Leverage the STM32G0 MCU series to ensure the lowest BOM cost and the maximum flexibility for upgrades
- Develop a thermostat mobile app
Impact
- Fast and intuitive user experience–user controls temperature, set energy saving functions from their phone
- Energy-efficiency made easy–helps reduce home heating costs by 15% without having to sacrifice comfort
- No installation and no pairing, removing the fear of connected product for non-tech savvy customers
Making energy functions easier to access
Found in all smartphones, NFC is a convenient, always-on radio link designed to make complex tasks easier—such as programming your thermostat. If you are looking to buy an NFC-enabled heater, odds are IoTize built the NFC module and Cotherm integrated it into their heater temperature controller. In 2020, Univ'R Chauffage—Cotherm’s client—was the first to release NFC-enabled electric heaters on the market before winter set in, replacing complex and hard-to-access LCD displays. The units hit the shelves in October at all major French retailers.
“
Because we operate in a seasonal market, Cotherm had to move fast. Collaborating with IoTize R&D teams, we built a reliable, cost-effective NFC controller in less than six months thanks to ST’s complete hardware and software ecosystem.
”
Thierry Camillieri, Cotherm CEO
The role of dynamic NFC tags
IoTize TapNLink NFC module onboards an ST25 Dynamic NFC Tag with up to 64-Kbit of EEPROM memory. The tag securely transfers data from the heater to the user’s smartphone, and vice versa. Beyond this hardware, IoTize developed an intuitive app that lets users conveniently configure the radiator’s seasonal schedule. Users simply tap their phones against the unit to configure and transfer their settings.
NFC modules have another key characteristic, their short operating distance guarantees privacy. To keep it simple and low power, user's confidential data aren’t processed nor stored in cloud servers. The data is processed directly in the heating unit via an STM32G0 entry-level microcontroller, one of the most affordable, and attractive options on the market—yet ultra-robust.
“
With ST’s dynamic NFC tag, TapNLink achieves the winning combination of responsiveness, low-power consumption and price that is required for mass market appliances.
”
Francis Lamotte, IoTize President
How NFC offered a simple solution to a complex engineering problem
Connectivity in smart home devices is a broad topic and can sometimes be a pain for developers. In this case, NFC offered a simple solution to a complex engineering problem. And the technology had more to offer than just a better customer experience. Because NFC is powered by energy harvesting, HVAC manufacturers can conveniently adjust the final product’s output power at the end of the fabrication process, from a smartphone to a prepacked product. This flexibility makes IoTize modules suitable for most HVAC products—smart heat pumps, water heaters, etc.
NFC can also be leveraged to track the product throughout its life cycle and connect multiple suppliers and customers. Sharing data all along the product value chain has never been so easy. This enhanced communication eventually helps offer rapid and customized after-sales support, creating a virtuous cycle between manufacturers, retailers, and final consumers. And last but not the least, it facilitates reverse logistics for returns, repairs, and recycling–a megatrend in retail.
