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Energy Solutions Center Inc.

400 N. Capitol St., NW 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20001
E-mail: events@escenter.org

 

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Demtroys Technology - Reducing Heating Cost

Demtroys Executive Interview with Jean Sebastien Cyr

 

1. What new product are you bringing to market this year?

 
Demtroys Technology’s heating cost management system is a simple and effective solution for most gas heating systems (hydronic with zone-valve or fan coil & forced-air furnace) in multi-family residential buildings. The Demtroys system can significantly reduce heating costs by controlling:
  1. real time in-suite heating,
  2. the energy waste from tenant behaviors and
  3. overheating. 
 
Also available in wireless technology, the control system can be adapted to all sizes of building and be configured for time-of-use, including zoning capabilities. Furthermore, the system can be configured for more than one building (High rise, midrise or townhouse/row house) and installation time is within 3 to 10 days with no remodeling required.
 
While ensuring a comfortable living environment for tenants, the system generates energy savings ranging from 10% to 35%. Finally, Demtroys’ systems ensure reliable return on investment and increase the market value of the building.
 
With this technology, gas companies can support their customers, who are controlling heating costs (and also realizing improved customer retention) thus helping achieve GHG targets.
 

2. What are the primary markets for your technology today?

 
Multi-family residential market with heating included in the rent. This market could be defined with the following end-users:
  • Apartment building, for profit;
  • Low income (Affordable OR Social housing);
  • Retirement home; or
  • Student residence.
 

3. How can your product impact the environment?

 
The multi residential markets have limited technology offerings to improve their energy control and efficiency. Over and above boiler control OR digital thermostats, alternative energy management technologies focus on institutional, educational and commercial markets with high price points. The Demtroys solution brings to this market new energy management opportunities with low cost system based on a scalable product and pricing strategy.
 

4. What are the competitive advantages of your product compared to other heating monitoring technologies?

  • Heating control solution specific to multi-family residential market
  • Combined technical and commercial know-how in delivering turnkey project to the multi residential end-users
  • Average heating cost savings of 24% 
  • Average payback of 2.4 years
  • Low cost system that optimizes savings and value/equity
  • Adapts to all building sizes and heating system in retrofit or new building
  • Multi-zone systems for improved tenant comfort
  • Comes with or without wireless technology. Designed with leading Zigbee RF Protocol and Mesh System
  • Tenant comfort is not compromised as they maintain control of their comfort zone!
  • Easy to implement (turnkey installation in 3 to 10 days), No remodeling
  • Safe and easy to operate, no maintenance and no recurring expenses 
 

5. What misconceptions do you deal with when talking to potential customers about your product?

 
Many building managers believe that controlling tenant in-suite heating may compromise the comfort of the tenant.  However, this is far from true and the reality is that tenants are much more satisfied with the consistent, reliable heat.
 

6. Who is your direct customer – a property/homeowner, a contractor or a distributor, and why?

 
Most of our direct customers are housing authorities, multi residential housing portfolio owners, regional non-profit housing organizations, property managers, asset managers, sustainability and energy coordinators or maintenance managers.
 

7. What are your strategies to communicate with and educate these customers?

  • Participate in end-user trade shows and trade associations;
  • Build alliances with gas company sales teams and plan joint calls to their key accounts;
  • Organize company presentation sessions to multi-residential housing providers/managers offering free building assessments to potential customers
 

8. What are the market barriers to greater deployment of your product?

  • Reaching US decision makers region by region;
  • Long budget and decision making cycles of the industry including the rebate application programs;
  • Financing energy saving programs;
 

9. What could gas utilities do to promote the deployment and acceptance of your product?

  • Target Multi-residential housing providers and plan joint calls/presentation sessions with Demtroys representatives;
  • Identify and facilitate pilot projects on US State basis;
  • Facilitate the application of energy saving programs