Free Smart Thermostats

• Your business must receive commercial electric service through Xcel Energy and have a rooftop central air conditioning or central heat pump system. The building where thermostats will be installed must be located in Minnesota. Evaporative coolers, ductless mini-split heat pumps, window units, and chiller plants do not qualify.
• You must have access to a WiFi network that can communicate with the ecobee3 lite.
• You will be asked to accept the Terms and Conditions of Xcel Energy’s AC Rewards for Business program and register your new ecobee smart thermostats.
• There is no limit to the number of smart thermostats you can have installed as long as they each control a separate air conditioning unit.

• By agreeing to participate in the AC Rewards for Business program and receiving free ecobee3 lite smart thermostats, you also agree to let Xcel Energy make small adjustments to your thermostat (for no longer than four hours) on very hot days when the electric grid is at peak, also known as “events.”
• If your business already participates in the Business Saver's Switch program and you choose to receive a thermostat installation, your business’s Saver’s Switch will be deactivated or removed for the duration of your enrollment. You will no longer receive your Saver's Switch bill credit.
• If you use eco+ on a device that is enrolled in AC Rewards, you must maintain a savings preference setting of 2 or above. Any eco+ enabled device with a savings preference of 1 will be treated as an offline device and will be subject to the program rules described above.
• You will own the smart thermostat(s) after participating in the program for two years. If you terminate your participation in the program prior to two years from your enrollment date, you may incur fees for the initial installation.

• The ecobee3 lite intuitively knows when to turn on your cooling and heating equipment based on your building’s energy profile, the weather, and thousands of other data points, ensuring you’re comfortable at all times.
• The ecobee3 lite can sense when your building is occupied, delivering comfort when you’re at work while avoiding excessive energy use when you’re not.
• You can control your ecobee3 lite manually or from anywhere using your smart phone and other devices.

• AC Rewards for Business program allows Xcel Energy make small adjustments to your thermostat (for no longer than four hours) on very hot days when the electric grid is at peak, also known as “events.”
•  You have the option to opt out of as many voluntary events as needed, meaning you can cancel the event at your thermostat or on your mobile device and return to your normal comfort settings. Xcel Energy reserves the right to remove customers from the program who opt out too frequently.
• The smart thermostat installed must be replacing a thermostat that directly controls HVAC equipment.
• All thermostats must remain online and communicating with Xcel Energy's systems. If a device is determined to be offline for an extended period of time, you will be notified and given the opportunity to reconnect it. If the device is not brought back online after you are notified, the device will be subject to removal from the program, and you will no longer receive bill credits for that device. Additional charges may apply.

FAQs

What happens when WiFi is disconnected for a significant amount of time? Your thermostat will continue to operate as programmed, and can be changed/controlled at the device only. Your thermostat cannot be controlled remotely if a WiFi signal is not available.

Will I lose my thermostat settings if there is a power outage? No, the settings are saved internally and will be restored.

How much internet bandwidth will my thermostat use? Are updates performed frequently? Updates are performed infrequently, and your thermostat’s impact on your internet bandwidth will be virtually unnoticeable.

Can my thermostat be controlled remotely? Your thermostat can be controlled manually or from anywhere using your smart phone and other devices. If your WiFi is temporarily disabled, you will not be able to control your thermostat remotely until your WiFi is restored.

Is it possible for a tenant and facility manager to control a thermostat? Yes, but a lock feature is available. Thermostats can be controlled from the device unless the lock feature is activated, requiring the tenant to enter a passcode into the device to modify settings When the thermostat is installed you will be prompted to set up an account (email and password) to use the remote access portal. This allows only those with the password to modify settings remotely.

Are the thermostats two-stage compatible? Yes, the thermostats are two-stage heat and two-stage cool. One-Stop Efficiency Shop® is an Xcel Energy authorized installer of smart thermostats (V.1.11.17.2020 Common questions about ecobee3 lite smart thermostats installed by the One-Stop Efficiency Shop® team).

Will the Xcel Energy AC Rewards for Business program impact my thermostat’s settings? By agreeing to participate in the AC Rewards for Business program and receiving free smart thermostats, you also agree to let Xcel Energy make small adjustments to your thermostats (for no longer than four hours) on very hot days when the electric grid is at peak, also known as “events.” You will have the option to opt out of as many voluntary events as needed, meaning you can cancel the event at your thermostat or on your mobile device and return to your normal comfort settings. Xcel Energy reserves the right to remove customers from the program who opt out too frequently.

Why is Xcel Energy providing free smart thermostats to commercial customers? Installing smart thermostats and enrolling customers in the AC Rewards for Business program helps Xcel Energy manage high electricity demand and reduce strain on the electrical grid during the hottest days of the summer. This helps Xcel Energy avoid costly utility infrastructure investments and save money for both them and their customers.