Venstar® today announced that its  ColorTouch® and Explorer® connected Wi-Fi® thermostats and Skyport® Cloud Services are being used by U.S. Air Conditioning Distributors (USACD) for remote control of the thermostats at its HVAC supply stores. Based in the City of Industry, Calif., USACD is one of the nation’s largest privately owned HVAC distributors with 50 stores in the western United States.

“Using Venstar’s Skyport Cloud Services, I can remotely control the thermostats at the stores using my mobile phone or computer,” said Jack Scarsi, VP of Operations & Finance at U.S. Air Conditioning Distributors. “The energy cost savings goes right to our bottom line, which helped pay for the thermostats and installation in just months.”

Challenge: Reduce Energy Costs, Remote Control of Thermostats

Heaters and air conditioners were often left on overnight or over weekends when the stores were closed. Some stores had equipment issues that had gone unchecked. As a result, energy usage was unusually high at the stores. USACD management wanted to find a way to remotely manage HVAC equipment and control energy costs at the stores.

Solution: Venstar’s Skyport Cloud Services and Wi-Fi Thermostats

As part of USACD’s green initiative, the company installed Venstar’s ColorTouch and Explorer connected thermostats at the stores.

Scarsi and the store managers use Skyport Cloud Services on their desktop computers and mobile phones using Venstar’s free Skyport Mobile App. They can manage energy usage and ensure that indoor temperatures are comfortable at the stores. Using Skyport also enables them to resolve equipment issues before they become problems.

Results: Reduced Energy Usage by $100,000+ Annually

Moving to Venstar’s Skyport to control the Wi-Fi thermostats saves USACD $100,000 annually in energy costs by:

• Eliminating HVAC systems running unnecessarily when stores are unoccupied
• Preventing thermostat temperatures from being set too high or too low
• Identifying stores where there may be HVAC equipment issues
• Enabling remote control of the store’s thermostats

Scarsi said, “Using Skyport, I can look at all of the thermostats at all the stores on a single screen. At a glance, I can see which stores’ HVAC systems are running non-stop and if there are any HVAC systems that are not running efficiently so that I can remotely make any necessary adjustments.”

Reduced Energy Costs by Resolving Equipment Issues

One branch had set the thermostat to 80 degrees because it was always cold in the store. By using Skyport, Scarsi identified the problem, which turned out to be faulty ductwork. Once the ducting was fixed, the store was more comfortable, and they saved energy costs by not running the heater all day.

At another store, the HVAC equipment was running but was not properly heating or cooling. Using Skyport, Scarsi identified the problem and had the HVAC equipment serviced. Now with more efficient equipment, they have reduced their energy costs.

“Skyport makes managing the stores more efficient. It helps me identify HVAC equipment issues at stores so that I can quickly have problems resolved,” Scarsi said.

Remotely Monitored and Controlled Thermostats

Prior to installing the Venstar solution, there was no way for anyone at USACD headquarters to remotely monitor or control the stores’ thermostats. “With Skyport, it’s very easy to see where the issues are so we can get them resolved,” Scarsi said.

“Seeing all of the thermostats on my screen at the same time allows me to easily pinpoint any problems without having to view individual thermostats,” he added. “I can quickly resolve issues right from my desk.”

About U.S. Air Conditioning Distributors

U.S. Air Conditioning Distributors is one of the nation’s largest privately owned HVAC distributors. Headquartered in the City of Industry, Calif., near Los Angeles, USACD has 50 HVAC supply stores nationwide. Using an energy management system is part of its initiative to save money and go green. USACD has solar panels on some buildings, utilizes LED lighting and is moving to CNG vehicles.

About Venstar Inc. 

Venstar Inc. is a leading thermostat and energy management system (EMS) manufacturer, known for providing value to its customers via ease of use and installation, proven cost savings, improved energy efficiency, quality and reliability. Founded in 1992, Venstar is one of the largest thermostat suppliers in the world and designs and produces Venstar-branded products, as well as OEM thermostat products for the biggest names in HVAC.  Venstar’s Surveyor is a leading energy management system, typically saving small-box retailers 20–35 percent of their energy costs, which translates to tens of millions of dollars in savings each year and dramatic reductions in CO₂ emissions. Surveyor currently controls the energy usage of 30,000+ retail locations across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

For more information, visit Venstar: www.venstar.com, email: sales@venstar.com, telephone:  818-341-8760.