NTT COMWARE | More Equipment Available for Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version) with HEMS controller- Service starts for ECO JOZU, highly efficient latent heat recovery-type water heaters -

2016.01.26

More Equipment Available for Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version) with HEMS controller
- Service starts for ECO JOZU, highly efficient latent heat recovery-type water heaters -

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation (Head office: Osaka-shi, Osaka; President: Kazutoshi Murao, hereinafter, NTT West) and NTT Comware Corporation (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Shinobu Umino, hereinafter, NTT Comware) newly added the highly efficient latent heat recovery-type water heaters (ECO JOZU^*1) to their product lineup of equipment connecting to Hikari BOX Plus (HB-1000 (2)/IT device) (hereinafter, Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version)) ^*2,*3, which has HEMS controller functions^*4 and is interlinked with^*5 Smart Meter^*6. Concurrently, White List^*7, the home electric appliance list available to connect the system, is updated with more products for the service.
We are continuing to increase the products and services applicable to more home appliances and gas appliances to improve the convenience of users.

1. Background

Upon announcement of the launch of the HEMS services using Hikari BOX Plus for electricity retailers on October 6, 2015, quite a number of inquiries were received from various electricity retailers for connection to gas equipment. Under these circumstances, we developed a new function for connection to the highly efficient latent heat recovery-type water heaters (ECO JOZU), with collaboration of PURPOSE Co., Ltd.^*8 and started the service.

2. Outline and characteristics of the product

Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version) is a HEMS controller applicable to Smart Meters to visualize the consumption of electricity using TV monitors and smartphones as well as to control various home electric appliances such as air conditioners and water heaters. We have now launched a new service with additional functions to connect to ECO JOZU. The connection with ECO JOZU enables the users to control hot water supply/floor heating^*9 as well as to visualize its status.

The product lineup for the services will be updated on the website below.

[URL for reference: White List]
https://xemspf.comware.biz/hikaribox/index.html

^*1: ECO JOZU is a registered trademark of Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. The name of companies and products are also trademarks or registered trademarks of each corporation.

^*2: For the Internet connection with Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version), separate services are required such as broadband for Flets Hikari, providers and its fees and wireless routers. A television with HDMI terminals is required for this service.
See NTT West website (http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/kiki/hikaribox/) for further information.

^*3: Hikari BOX Plus currently available at shops is not for connection with ECHONET Lite for its home electric appliance controller functions and Smart Meters.

^*4: Provided as an electric appliance controller equipped with ECHONET Lite-applicable middleware/software under ECHONET Lite standards. This is a telecommunications standard for home networking, which is developed by ECHONET Consortium. The standard applies to the control functions of more than 80 types of equipment including home electric appliances, smart energy meters and solar power generation. ECHONET is a registered trademark of ECHONET Consortium.

^*5: The 920MHzUSB dongle, for wireless communication on 920MHz, is separately required for connection with Smart Meter.

^*6: The next generation wattmeter for Internet connection. It has telecommunication equipment within the meter and collects power consumption data. This wattmeter is different from the conventional induction-type analog wattmeter.

^*7: Items for operating and monitoring the system vary subject to specifications of products of home electric appliance manufacturers and equipment types. https://xemspf.comware.biz/hikaribox/index.html

^*8: PURPOSE Co., Ltd. HP http://www.purpose.co.jp/

^*9: For some models of ECO JOZU, a hot water floor heating system may not be available.

3. Roles of the companies

(1)NTT West

Designing the strategies of the entire scheme
Coordination with home electric appliance manufacturers and energy companies, etc.

(2)NTT Comware

Sales and provision of Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version), etc.
Development of home electric appliance controller functions using Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version), etc.
Verification of connection between Hikari BOX Plus (EMS version), etc., and home appliances applicable to ECHONET Lite

4. Start of the Service

Optional functions will be available on February 1, 2016 (to be confirmed)

5. Coverage

Japan Nationwide

6. Price

Quotation for individual cases.

The information shown in this page is the latest as of the day of the release. It is subject to change without further notice. Thank you for your kind understanding and consideration. PageTop