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TXU Energy Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary of Brighten iThermostat, Highlights Consumer Study(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) DALLAS, July 29 -- TXU Energy, a subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings, issued the following news release: TXU Energy introduced the Brighten iThermostat in 2009, making it the first two-way, Internet-enabled thermostat in the competitive electricity markets of Texas. Five years later, the company remains the only competitive retailer with a thermostat that is fully integrated into its overall system that allows customers to monitor and manage their electricity consumption. And now, a study ranks the device behind the Brighten iThermostat No. 1 for overall customer preference. The Carrier ComfortChoice Touch thermostat used by TXU Energy as the hardware for its Brighten iThermostat was rated best for efficiency, ease of use and feel and sound by participants in a recent study done for the municipal utility district in Sacramento, Calif. The study tested the usability of 12 programmable thermostats. Participants preferred the overall ease of use and feel and sound of the Carrier thermostat. They also were able to complete basic tasks more quickly with it than with any of the other tested thermostats, including the Nest Learning ThermostatTM. The Brighten iThermostat combines the highly rated Carrier thermostat with unique software and an Internet gateway, plus a smartphone app to give consumers easy control of their temperature settings and their electricity spending. "The results of this study confirm what we heard from customers as we were building out thermostat program," said Jennifer Pulliam, senior director of innovation for TXU Energy. "There are a lot of good products available to consumers, but we chose the Carrier ComfortChoice Touch as the hardware for our Brighten iThermostat because of its simple navigation, its intuitive programming and its ability to deliver savings." Internet-enabled, programmable thermostats allow consumers to set temperature settings to match their families' schedules and preferences, maximizing their savings and comfort. That can help reduce strain on the power grid by cooling or heating their homes only when needed. Internet-enabled, programmable thermostats that have two-way functionality, like the Brighten iThermostat, also help customers fully understand their electricity consumption. "The potential savings - along with helping to ensure a reliable energy supply, free professional installation and the peace-of-mind that any thermostat support can be handled with a single phone call - make the Brighten iThermostat the best choice for Texas consumers," Pulliam said. TNS 30FurigayJof-140802-4818396 30FurigayJof (c) 2014 Targeted News Service |