MILWAUKEE — Telkonet Inc., developer of the EcoSmart energy management system, has announced the ability to integrate wirelessly with Somfy Systems’ motors for automatically operating a hospitality property’s in-room draperies, blinds, and shades. When Somfy’s motor technology is combined with Telkonet’s EcoInsight intelligent thermostats and EcoView sensors, a hotel owner can use room occupancy information and light-level data from the in-room sensors to close curtains in sunny, unoccupied rooms, thereby reducing the solar load and the need for unnecessary air conditioning.

Ana Maria Huertas Iragorri, hospitality business development manager for Somfy North America, said, “Heating, cooling, and internal lighting represent the three largest expenses for many hotels. Somfy’s bioclimatic facades control sunlight to minimize the costs associated with HVAC runtime and artificial lighting. Having the EcoSmart technology intelligently supervise unoccupied rooms certainly enhances our ability to meet energy management objectives.”

Jeff Sobieski, Telkonet’s chief technology officer, said, “Telkonet can promise several benefits to the building owners utilizing the EcoSmart energy management system: an increase in energy efficiency, a reduction in energy expenses, and consistent, comfortable room temperatures for their occupants. In tandem with our EcoSmart tools, Somfy products will help prevent the heat gain in an unoccupied room associated with solar load, thereby reducing the runtimes and extending the life of a hotel’s heating and cooling system.”