Home Energy Efficiency Made Easy with Cotherm & NFC
Electric radiator manufacturers save their customers money and boost sales with innovative, user-friendly, NFC-enabled appliances.
NFC offers an intuitive, secure way to connect and configure electronic systems, transforming home heating with:
- Energy savings
- Ease-of-use
- Affordability
EU Energy Sustainability Initiative Spurs NFC Innovation
To control energy consumption, EU initiatives now encourage programmable features with proven results for reducing electricity use. To make these advanced features accessible to users, Cotherm, experts in temperature controller design, chose NFC for easy, efficient configuration from smartphone apps.
With the IoTize solution and TapNLink modules featuring STMicroelectronics' ST25DV NFC tags, Cotherm's journey from proof-of-concept to product launch was done in record time.
The Challenge of Accessibility
Regulators for electric heaters have evolved over the years from simple mechanical controls to advanced PID electronic controls. They now incorporate features like open window detection and adaptive start control mandated by the 2018 EU Ecodesign regulation, which enhance efficiency and reduce energy consumption by up to 15% (Source: ADEME).
However for programming these features, Cotherm discovered that the tiny LCD displays and push-buttons on previous products were cumbersome and often unused. And, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi solutions required complex setups that limited their appeal for many users.
Saving Energy with NFC
With rising energy costs, it's surprising that fewer than 20% of electric radiator owners use programmable controls that can reduce consumption by up to 15%. The problem - those legacy user controls were just too complicated and inconvenient. Cotherm found a solution in NFC and mobile apps that offers numerous benefits:
- No pairing codes: just touch the NFC tag with a smartphone.
- No radio emissions: NFC doesn't emit advertising signals.
- No data leaks: data is exchanged at very close range.
- No installation or set up: works immediately with Android and iOS.
- Direct app activation: tap to launche the app.
- Accessible to the whole family: no master account or cloud access needed.
An Accelerated Design Cycle for NFC Enabled Products
Cotherm, with no prior experience with NFC adopted IoTize's NFC solution for rapid implementation in their new controller design. These controllers provide an easy-to-use graphical interface via smartphones, combined with NFC tap-to-connect ease of use.
Using IoTize's NFC module as a reference, Cotherm developed their proof-of-concept in a few short weeks. This was sufficient for validation in customer demonstrations and market testing and was rapidly industrialized for the successful launch of the ERD Easy Touch.
Key Numbers for ERD Easy Touch
- 2 controller models (dial or display)
- 2 user interface apps
- 12 months from POC to product
- 4,6 of 5 rating in European market survey
- Introduced March 2021
Solution for Instant NFC Integration
IoTize wireless designs and no-code/low-code software ecosystem accelerate the creation of new mobile-connected products.
IoTize's TapNLink modules pre-implement the features required for connected appliances. Adding NFC to an existing electronic design is a simple matter of configuring features. No coding is required.
With its ST25DV dynamic NFC tag, TapNLink achieves the winning combination of responsiveness, low-power consumption and price required for mass market appliances.
TapNLink can be added to a design as a component or used as reference designs that are fully embedded in the manufacturer's design.
To create a user interface app, IoTize's App Creator and automatic generator allow designers to immediately create their first apps without coding. Apps are based on industry standard, cross-platform tools for iOS and Android.
ERD Easy Touch Controllers
The success of NFC controllers and mobile apps with installers and owners of electric radiators is opening other applications in heating and energy management. NFC apps offer the ease-of-use and low price that are ideal for these features that are crucial but only used 2 to 3 times per year.
Today, OEM manufacturers of electric heating appliances can get Cotherm's ERD controllers for heating appliances. For more information about ERD Easy Touch, contact Cotherm.