More than five years after smart thermostats were introduced as an easy-to-use alternative to the current programmable models, manufacturers are reporting triple-digit sales increases. The thermostats are pitched as the next “it” device and a revolutionary step in getting households to better manage their electricity use.

Parks Associates, a Dallas market research firm, estimates about 1 in 10 U.S. homes with a broadband connection now own a smart thermostat. That has driven what is now an $86 million-a-year global market, which may grow to $1.4 billion by 2020, according to a report published late last year by Navigant Research.

“Six [million] to 8 million thermostats are sold annually, and in the future a larger and larger portion of those are going to be smart,” said Tom Kerber, director of energy research for Parks Associates. “Think about automatic door locks. They used to be only on Cadillacs. But it moved down to the lower tier cars. And now you can’t buy a car without automatic locks.”

From the article, "Smart thermostat sales heat up" by James Osborne.

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