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Power Supply Veterans Found EnTouch Controls, Raise $2 Million

November 20, 2011 by Jeff Shepard

EnTouch Controls, a provider of energy management systems for small businesses, announced that it has secured $2 million in Series A financing. The financing round was led by Trailblazer Capital and will allow the company to accelerate market expansion of the EnTouch EMS targeted at small business owners.

Since its introduction in 2011, the EnTouch Controls Energy Management System has helped business owners understand and control the cost of energy for their business. With a proprietary wireless network, a multiple zone HVAC control system, and remote management capabilities, the EnTouch EMS is described as a simple and low cost automation system designed for the needs of small business owners. According to the company, the combination of energy savings and low installation cost results in significant savings on energy bills and a rapid return on investment. The system often pays for itself in less than 12 months.

The EnTouch EMS is targeted at restaurants, retail stores, service businesses, convenience stores, and small offices. The EnTouch EMS is a simple replacement of the existing digital thermostats in these facilities and utilizes a proprietary wireless network of HVAC controls and energy monitoring units to provide full control of HVAC and energy monitoring of main and branch circuits. The system is remotely accessible through the customer’s WiFi network, providing automation, data reporting, and maintenance alerting features.

By optimizing heating and cooling during occupancy hours and minimizing waste energy during vacancy hours, the EnTouch EMS has demonstrated energy savings of 20% or more in field deployments. In addition, the system can detect system performance issues and automatically alert maintenance staff when needed. The remote facility management and data collection features are especially helpful for owners of multiple facilities, saving on travel time and enabling remote diagnostic of facility problems.

"Unlike larger facilities with complex automation systems, small business owners lack the tools to understand and manage their use of energy. The EnTouch EMS provides them with the information they need to understand and manage this cost, and the automated EMS control features continually work to optimize the largest single use of energy – the heating and cooling they need to run their business." said Greg Fasullo, CEO of EnTouch Controls. "Our customers find they have higher levels of comfort for employees and customers while reducing a significant portion of their operating expense at the same time."

"Energy monitoring and control has been a feature that is out of reach for 80% of commercial buildings today because traditional systems are overly complex and costly for these businesses", said David Matthews, a Managing Partner of Trailblazer Capital. "We are excited to be partnering with a team with a disruptive product offering that will fundamentally change the way business owners think about their energy footprint. "

More news and information regarding the latest developments in Smart Grid electronics can be found at Darnell’s SmartGridElectronics.Net.