Honeywell And Constellation's StarTex Power Help Texans Manage Energy Costs With Smart Wi-Fi Thermostats

MINNEAPOLIS and HOUSTON, July 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Hot temperatures in Texas, which are expected to be above average again this summer according to the National Weather Service, call for lots of air conditioning and the likelihood of higher utility bills. It's not an inevitable fate, however.

Honeywell (NYSE: HON) and StarTex Power, a Constellation company and electricity provider that serves customers across the state, have teamed up to offer homeowners and small businesses an energy-saving bundle that combines competitive electricity supply rates with a Wi-Fi, app-driven thermostat from Honeywell that can reduce consumption and costs every day.

Even better, for a limited time StarTex Power is offering a gift card to new customers — $100 for homeowners and $500 for small businesses — to subsidize the cost of the device, which will make the thermostat low or no cost, or deeply discounted, depending on which of the three available models the customer chooses. Home and business owners will also be able to get the technology through online and brick-and-mortar retailers, heating and cooling contractors, or StarTex Power, whatever path is most convenient and cost effective.

"Affordable energy rates and smart home technology are an ideal marriage," said Tony Uttley, general manager of Home Comfort and Energy Systems at Honeywell. "Plus, people who want to participate have the freedom of choice. Pick the thermostat you want. Choose where you purchase it and how it's installed. This is a tailor-made opportunity to reduce electricity use, which could only come through a pairing like Constellation's StarTex Power and Honeywell."

A variety of electricity supply plans with fixed rates are available based on customer location with terms of 3 to 36 months. StarTex Power customers who already have a Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostat can still enroll in the new plan and receive the reward retroactively.

"StarTex Power and Constellation believe the combination of technology, great customer service and competitive rates puts consumers in the driver's seat when it comes to managing their energy use," said Bruce Stewart, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Constellation. "Honeywell's Wi-Fi thermostats give customers the added flexibility to control and monitor their heating and cooling system use from anywhere with a tablet or smartphone."

The thermostats offered through the plan include: the Honeywell Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable Thermostat (MSRP: $119); the Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat (MSRP: $149); and the Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat (MSRP: $249), built for both residential and commercial use.

Customers can program and control these devices from any computer, tablet or smartphone through the Total Connect Comfort app, the top-rated thermostat app on iTunes^® and Google Play^™. The thermostats, which comply with all building codes, also learn how long it takes to heat and cool a home or business to ensure it is always at the right temperature. They can send filter change reminders and other alerts as well.

In addition, the technology provides a pathway for customers to participate in demand response and other utility programs, which can lead to additional rewards.

Honeywell Smart Grid Solutions is helping StarTex Power manage and promote the plan and recruit customers. This includes coordinating targeted outreach, creating point-of-purchase displays for local retailers, and engaging contractors and distributors.

The StarTex Power program is an extension of Honeywell's work to connect smart energy companies and users. Honeywell has helped more than 100 utilities and power providers collaborate with 6 million homeowners to trim everyday energy use and reduce stress on the electrical grid when consumption peaks. It also has controls in 10 million buildings and thousands of industrial sites, and is helping link these facilities into smart grid programs.

For details on the StarTex Power plan, visit www.constellationaffinity.com/hon.

Information on Honeywell thermostats and other products for the home is available at yourhome.honeywell.com and @Honeywell_Home on Twitter. For more information on the company's smart grid technology, link to honeywellsmartgrid.com and follow @HoneywellGrid.

About Honeywell
Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com. 

About Constellation
The Constellation family of retail electricity and natural gas suppliers (www.constellation.com), including Star Electricity, Inc. (d/b/a StarTex Power), PUCT #10089, are subsidiaries of Exelon Corp., and are leading competitive retail suppliers of power, natural gas and energy products and services for homes and businesses across the continental United States. Constellation's retail businesses serve more than 100,000 business and public sector customers, including more than two-thirds of the Fortune 100, and nearly 1 million residential customers.

Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC) is the nation's leading competitive energy provider, with 2013 revenues of approximately $24.9 billion. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon has operations and business activities in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Exelon is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators, with approximately 35,000 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation's cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company's Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to more than 100,000 business and public sector customers and nearly 1 million residential customers. Exelon's utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to more than 7.8 million customers in central Maryland (BGE), northern Illinois (ComEd) and southeastern Pennsylvania (PECO).

SOURCE Honeywell