Nest is a self-programming thermostat that learns the schedules and temperature preferences of its owners in order to save energy. It can also be controlled remotely by smartphone.
As the Nest intro video points out, currently 50% of home energy bills go to heating and cooling, or put another way, 10% of US Energy is controlled by thermostats. Nest is produced by Nest Labs, a company founded by two Apple alums: Tony Fadell, former head of the iPod and iPhone division, and Matt Rogers, former head of iPod software development.
Wired has a fascinating article on how the Nest project came together.
What if your thermostat could learn from you?
What if it could build a schedule around what you like? Or figure out when you’re gone? Or show you how long it’ll take to warm up the house? What if your thermostat told you how much energy it used? And helped you to save even more? What if you could control it from your laptop and phone?
That would change everything.