Airbnb Partners with Nest to Help Community Continue to Save Energy

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Airbnb, the world's leading community-driven hospitality company, today announced a partnership with Nest, which reinvents unloved products in the home. Together, the companies are helping Airbnb's community of hosts and guests conserve energy and continue to have a positive impact on their local environments.

Airbnb is providing selected hosts in the US with the Nest Learning Thermostat, free of charge. The Nest Thermostat programs itself, automatically turns down the heat when a host or guest is away, and can be controlled from a mobile device. All hosts who participate in the program will have access to MyEnergy, a service that allows you to track your energy consumption, learn how to save energy, and be more efficient as part of their energy plans.

Nest and Airbnb share an affinity for thoughtful design and eco-friendly living. As part of the partnership, Airbnb will feature many of the properties outfitted with Nests in a curated Wish List on the Airbnb site, called "Nests on Airbnb" alongside other eco-friendly home collections, including: "It's Easy Being Green," "Urban Farms," and "Shipping Containers."

"The Airbnb community is passionate about environmental sustainability around the world. In a recent study we found that in North America alone, Airbnb guests use 63 percent less energy than hotel guests," said Lex Bayer, Head of Business Development at Airbnb. "Airbnb wants to help hosts on their quest to be green. We want to enrich the lives of our hosts, their properties, and the communities they live in. This partnership with Nest gives our hosts access to state of the art technology that is both beautiful in design and at the same time is good for the planet."

"Airbnb hosts tend to be environmentally aware, so having a Nest Thermostat is a great opportunity to further enhance energy savings in their homes," said Doug Sweeny, Head of Marketing at Nest. "Features like Auto-Away and remote control from anywhere help hosts manage energy use when the house is empty. And the Nest Thermostat's built-in temperature lock allows hosts to specify a temperature range for guests without having to put the thermostat behind a locked case."

The partnership with Nest is the next step in Airbnb's commitment to helping the environment. Earlier this year, Airbnb engaged the Cleantech Group to conduct an environmental impact analysis of Airbnb stays. The Cleantech Group analyzed over 8,000 survey responses from hosts and guests worldwide and conducted research on residential and hotel sustainability levels and practices. Nearly 83 percent of Airbnb hosts in North America report owning at least one energy efficient appliance at their property. In North America, 95 percent of Airbnb hosts say they recycle at least one item type at their property; 94 percent of guests report that they recycle when possible.

About Airbnb:
Founded in August of 2008 and based in San Francisco, California, Airbnb is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world – online or from a mobile phone. Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 190 countries. And with world-class customer service and a growing community of users, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.
www.airbnb.com

About Nest:
Nest reinvents unloved but important home products, like the thermostat and smoke and CO alarm. The company focuses on delighting customers with simple, beautiful and thoughtful hardware, software and services. The Nest Learning Thermostat™ and Nest Energy Services offerings address home energy consumption, and Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide™ helps keep people safe. Nest products are sold in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, and are installed in more than 120 countries. For more information, visit www.nest.com.

SOURCE Airbnb