ATLANTA, Jan. 28, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apogee Interactive, Inc. announced today that EnergyInsights™, the most accurate residential energy audit software on the market, is now available for use on iPads, tablets or any mobile device. This latest innovation in energy audit software is revolutionizing the way field auditors evaluate energy use in homes by making audits more efficient and intuitive. The mobility of this streamlined software reduces audit time and cost while increasing customer satisfaction by engaging the homeowner onsite with easy to understand charts and graphics.
The proprietary AMES engine powering this new offering is RESNET® accredited at the highest HERS rating level and ranked best-in-class in the BESTEST EX savings predictions test run by DOE and EPA.
Using intuitive slider-bars and drop-down menus for inputs makes entering the home's profile a snap, while the clean, colorful graphical display helps auditors engage customers in conversations about how weather, behavior, equipment, and the structure itself affect energy use.
Georgia Power field-tested the software during 2012 as they completed 8,110 in-home surveys. Field auditors found it efficient to download the customer's bills into the software to get a sense for the home they would be visiting, and then assessing how closely the bills matched the analysis with minimal information about the home. On-site, as they entered home characteristics, the predicted energy bar charts began to match-up with the actual bill amounts, confirming the auditor had captured the major equipment and behavioral impacts on energy usage.
The most powerful aspect of the new software is its impact on the customer experience, which was the primary driver for Georgia Power moving to the tablet technology. Auditors can comfortably engage with customers showing how consumption and cost bar charts change as they enter and try changing thermostat settings, upgrading the HVAC system, or adding insulation. The touch-screen data entry and the ability to conveniently share the colorful display while talking with the customer totally changes the audit experience. The final comprehensive report complete with recommended changes in the home or behavior can be emailed.
"Rather than working with what can be clunky, cumbersome laptops, auditors can use the more communication-friendly iPads to help customers understand their options," said Apogee's Chief Software Architect, Joel Gilbert, P.E. He added, "If customer satisfaction is important to your utility, then field audits are the single most powerful element in your customer satisfaction formula."
Join Joel Feb. 12th at 2:00 EST for a Webinar demonstrating EnergyInsights. E-mail kmorris@apogee.net to register.
APOGEE Interactive Inc. (www.apogee.net ) provides the energy industry with the most accurate and versatile energy analysis software on the market. Serving 650+ utilities, we foster customer trust, engagement in energy efficiency, and an enhanced customer experience. Clients include investor-owned, public and cooperative energy companies including Con Edison (ED), Marietta Power & Water, Southern Company (SO), Jackson EMC, NOVEC, NSTAR (NST), American Electric Power (AEP), Entergy (ETR), and Salt River Project.
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