Microsoft has unveiled a new online app that enables consumers to understand home energy usage and reduce consumption.
The company said that the Microsoft Hohm uses analytics licensed from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy. It is built on the Windows Azure cloud operating system and leverages Bing search as well as the Microsoft advertising platform.
Microsoft Hohm is a monitoring tool that is expected to help consumers lower their energy bill and reduce their impact on the environment. It provides savings recommendations, which can range from placing new caulking on windows to removing air leaks to installing a programmable thermostat.
The company said that the new tool provides suggestions for energy conservation based on the usage data and feedback from its users.
Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer at Microsoft, said: “We believe technology will play a pivotal role in tackling the global energy issues we currently face. Microsoft Hohm demonstrates how a combination of advanced software and Internet-based services can help people track, understand and manage their personal energy usage.”
The company said that consumers who are customers of a Microsoft Hohm utility partner company can opt to automatically upload their energy usage data into the application in the near future.
The beta application is available for free in the US.
