Google makes Seasonal Savings free for all Nest owners

Google is making it easier than ever for Nest thermostat customers to conserve energy by making its Seasonal Savings program is now being made available to all for free.

The savings program functions much like a personal energy monitor and is able to make scheduled temperature changes to help Nest thermostat owners not only save energy but also lower their monthly bills.

According to Google, the average customer experiences 3 to 5% in energy savings on their home’s heating and cooling systems when using Seasonal Savings.

Google also announced it would be teaming up with energy companies as part of its Rush Hour Rewards program. When a Nest thermostat owner signs up, their device will automatically adjust the temperature of their home during peak energy usage times.

As part of the program, energy companies will also begin paying users for signing up for Rush Hour Rewards.

“When there’s a peak in energy demand, it makes providing energy more expensive, less reliable, and less environmentally friendly for energy companies,” Krishan Gupta, product manager for Google Nest, explained.

“When you sign up, your Nest thermostat will make changes to the temperature in your home on a handful of those peak energy usage afternoons during the summer. This lowers the demand while still keeping you comfortable,” Gupta continued.

For business owners and those working from home, features such as Seasonal Savings and Rush Hour Rewards are particularly attractive. Not only do they save money, but because they are automated, they enable users to save time too.

Seasonal Savings is being made available to all Nest thermostat owners in the US and Canada (with the exception of Quebec) beginning this month. Thermostat owners will see a notification on their Nest device and within the Nest app asking them if they would like to opt-in to the program.

To sign-up for Rush Rewards, customers must first visit the Nest website to determine whether or not they are eligible for the program.