Honeywell Adds Smart Grid Application to Its Prestige Programmable Thermostat System

Feature Lets Homeowners Automate Energy Consumption Based On Energy Costs

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Feb 17, 2010, 09:00 ET

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced the addition of time-of-use utility price schedule programming capability to the Prestige® programmable thermostat. This new "smart" control enables a homeowner to automate energy consumption based on its actual cost, bringing the benefits of a smart grid into their home.

Like long distance telephone calls, electricity prices during specific times of the day are more expensive than others. Prestige's patented time-of-use price schedule feature is easy-to-use. Based on the homeowner's programming specifications, the Prestige will automatically adjust the home's temperature when prices are at their highest.

"Giving homeowners the tools to interact with utilities and reduce energy use is a critical part of the emerging smart grid," said John Tyhacz, vice president and general manager for Honeywell's home comfort and energy systems business. "Smart controls, such as the Prestige, allow homeowners to automate their energy consumption based on price to better manage their utility costs."

Honeywell introduced the Prestige in late 2008. The industry's first full-color, high-definition, wireless-enabled thermostat, Prestige's patented, interview-based interface walks a homeowner through the set-up process by asking a series of questions such as "what time does the first person wake-up in the morning?" or "what time do you go to sleep at night?" The answers help the thermostat program itself – no owner's manual needed.

Its built-in wireless technology allows it to communicate with other Honeywell RedLink™ wireless devices including the Portable Comfort Control, a hand-held device that senses temperature in any room of the house, gives homeowners the control to adjust temperature from anywhere in the house.

Prestige is available through an HVAC contractor. When used as directed, Honeywell estimates that homeowner's can cut annual heating and cooling costs by up to 33 percent – or $200 each year – depending on geographic location.

Honeywell is a global leader in energy efficiency, with control technology in more than 150 million homes, 10 million buildings and thousands of industrial plants around the world. In addition to a full-line of home comfort products available through HVAC professionals and retail outlets, Honeywell also works directly with utilities on demand response programs, which help limit energy consumption when the demand for electricity is at its highest. The company has installed more than 1 million load control devices to date, including the Honeywell UtilityPRO® thermostat. And this has given utilities combined control of more than 1 gigawatt of peak consumption — equivalent to the generation capacity of a medium- to large-sized power plant.

To learn more about Prestige and other energy-saving Honeywell products for the home, visit http://www.yourhome.honeywell.com.

Honeywell International (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; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty 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. Honeywell Environmental & Combustion Control is part of the Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions business group, providing integrated product solutions in heating and heating processes, ventilation, cooling and refrigeration, air filtration, zoning, humidification, air conditioning, water controls and processes, electrical devices and systems, lighting control, buildings controls, switches, sensors and controllers. ECC's technologies are found in more than 150 million homes, 10 million buildings, and a multitude of manufacturing plants around the world.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management's assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other relevant factors. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to risks and uncertainties, which can affect our performance in both the near- and long-term. We identify the principal risks and uncertainties that affect our performance in our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Prestige® is registered trademark of Honeywell International Inc. RedLink™ is a trademark of Honeywell International Inc.