Nest Seasonal Savings trims winter heating in Oregon homes

In a randomized pilot, Nest Seasonal Savings cut heating runtime by 4.75%, about 18 therms per opted-in thermostat over winter 2016-17. Summer cooling savings were 4 kWh.

  • 1 a person

    Each opted-in thermostat saved about 18 therms of gas heating over the winter.

  • 1 society

    Opted-in homes with gas furnaces together saved 110,404 therms over the winter.

Depth runs from 1, a convenience or time saved, to 5, a life or a livelihood preserved.

Status
Reported benefit.
Evidence

foundstudiedreportedclaimed

Only the evaluators support the benefit.

Compared with

A control group of Nest thermostats from the same population. Measured.

Without the system
Baseline heating runtime of 596 hours
With it
28.3 hours less, a 4.75% reduction
The system’s part
Thermostats were randomly assigned to be offered the service or to a control group, so the savings estimate isolates the service. The report describes setpoint and schedule changes made by an algorithm and does not say that it learns from data.
Limits
Not yet checked.
Costs and harms
Not yet checked.
Later
Not yet checked.

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Benefit type
Reduced Carbon Emissions
System
Nest Seasonal Savings (setpoint and schedule optimization service for Nest thermostats)
Made by
Nest Labs
Used by
Energy Trust of Oregon with CLEAResult and Nest, offered to existing Nest owners
Where
Oregon, United States
Stage
In a pilot
Date
Kind
Aggregate result
Broad benefit
Controlling Machines and Processes
Collections
Scrutiny and findings
Last revised
31 October 2026

Sources

  1. Evaluation report, by an evaluator that the makers or users commissioned.

    Apex Analytics LLC and Demand Side Analytics. Energy Trust of Oregon Nest Thermostat Seasonal Savings Pilot Evaluation. 22 November 2017.

    The Nest Seasonal Savings program showed minor summer season cooling savings of only 4 kWh per opt‐in thermostat, while winter heating seasonal savings were significant – approximately 18 therms per opt‐in thermostat over the course of the 2016/2017 winter season.

Details

AI system

Workflow

Nest applied a series of small setpoint and schedule changes over three weeks. Customers could override any change or opt out at any time.

Follow-up

Conditions for replication

The heating system runs on a schedule set on the thermostat. Occupants accept small temperature changes without overriding them.

Entry details

Sector

Energy (residential efficiency).

Purpose

Nest Labs built Nest Seasonal Savings to make small setpoint and schedule changes on Nest thermostats that save energy without occupants noticing.

Not yet checked: model, release, provider, role, configuration, inputs and outputs, autonomy, human oversight, beneficiaries, reach, distribution and access, duration, every measurement question, every money question, ownership and control, dependencies, cross-border connections, geopolitical implications, replication attempts, availability, institutional decision, grounds, action and result, success criterion, every evidence question, observed or intended, alternative assessments, related entries, other identifiers, category mappings.

Cite this record

Peter H. Vartanian. (2026). Nest Seasonal Savings trims winter heating in Oregon homes (AIBD-0732). Artificial Intelligence Benefits Database, edition of 31 October 2026. https://petervartanian.xyz/aibd/records/AIBD-0732.html (archived at https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/AADSII, version 4.0)

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