It's been a few years since we last looked at intelligent heating controls on theNBS.com and in the intervening period things have got smarter, sleeker and more integrated. The British weather remains unchanged.
The latest addition to an increasingly competitive market is a Cortana-powered thermostat forged from a collaboration between Microsoft and Johnson Controls.
The video below serves to give some indication of the baked-in smarts but, in summary, it's built on the Windows 10 IoT Core OS, draws on Cortana's voice control and Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure.
The new device, dubbed GLAS, has domestic and commercial applications and takes on the likes of Nest, Ecobee and Honeywell.
With an innovative see-through design it's likely to win fans on aesthetics alone, but the device also brings air quality monitoring to everyday spaces and should, according to manufacturer, help deliver energy savings too thanks to its ability to monitor the environment and adjust its settings.
The heating market remains an interesting one to watch and provides a taste of the benefits that are possible when data is collected through sensors and devices respond to real-world conditions. Our article on the Internet of Things and what it means for construction is worth a read for those who don't yet see a need to talk to their home heating.
Expect more details on price and availability in the coming weeks.
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