By B. Kevin Folsom, CEP
Published in the May 2014 issue of Today’s Facility Manager
Q I am looking for feedback on WiFi enabled thermostats. Do you have experience or insights on this technology that you would be willing to share?
Aaron Vakula
Facilities Manager
Seneca
Syracuse, NY
A I have had significant benefits using a product manufactured by EnTouch Controls. It is well designed for mid-size commercial applications and meets our needs.
We are converting from 200 standalone thermostats and are doing the work in-house. Six months into it, we have 100 done so far. These have been easy to install and capable of loading all stats into one web portal. Our application is using the campus WiFi, and the IT department has been okay with it so far. Some areas do not have sufficient WiFi services so we will use the cellular version in those areas until IT can meet the need. We are seeing significant savings, and nothing stands in the way to finish.
There are many WiFi stats that have come on the market in recent years with a varying degree of cost and capabilities. The question comes down to what you are looking to accomplish, and the user interface can be key.
