Best Smart Thermostat Incentives in 2023

In Illinois, smart thermostats are hot. There are a lot of options to choose from, and there are great incentives from your local utilities due to the Future Energy Jobs Act that was passed in late 2016.  Here is our opinion on the best smart thermostat for commercial and residential settings.

Smart thermostats save energy. Therefore they qualify for both rebates from the gas companies and the electric utility. Your electric utility is ComEd if you are in the Chicagoland region.  There are just a few exceptions (Winnetka, St. Charles, and Naperville).

Best Smart Thermostat for Home

If you are looking for a smart thermostat for your home, you are eligible for a $100 instant discount through ComEd’s Marketplace. Our choice for home is the Nest 3rd Generation.

The 3rd Generation Nest is the easiest to install for a home owner.  It is also super easy to hook up to your app and computer. This is key, as the easier to use means the best chance of getting the most savings out of the unit. Nest has a great data platform behind it.  Google will let you know when you can try to save more energy with a little leaf on the platform. It also tracks your usage and sends you updates via email on how much energy you are using.  There are also suggestions on you could do better.

The Nest connects with a bunch of other products.  Tools like your Google Home and the Nest Protect system also act as an additional temperature and occupancy sensor. Additional integrations include Nest Hello and Nest Cam systems. The smart home is coming, whether you like it or not.  Certainly Nest has an edge up on the product offerings that connect well with the Google.

Best Smart Thermostat for Business

Hands down, the best commercial smart thermostat on the market in 2019 is the Ecobee EMS Si. There are two simple reasons for this – access to stellar rebates from the utilities, as well as functionality.

The EMS Si has all of the same benefits of the residential smart thermostats.  However, it is not quite as easy to install. It connects well to smartphones and has learning and occupancy benefits. Additionally, it can control the multi-phase heating and cooling that advanced HVAC systems tend to have in commercial applications.

In addition, the EMS Si has a power extender that can come optional.   This extender can solve the common C wire issue. The C wire provides electricity to the thermostat, helping to charge the battery. If the C wire is lacking or not providing enough energy, the power extender can help resolve this common issue.  Whereas other smart thermostats often lack a solution without running a C wire.

Available ComEd Rebates

For small to mid-sized businesses, you qualify for a $200 – $250 of smart thermostat incentives to install the EMS Si smart thermostat. You need to have it professionally installed, but that is recommended regardless for commercial application.

For larger businesses, you do not qualify for this incentive.  However, the energy savings should be greater and justify a larger investment.

Available Gas Rebates

North Shore Gas and Peoples Gas offer an additional $100 incentive.  This typically covers most businesses that are in Chicago. This can be combined with the $200-$250 for the ComEd Rebate program, and we can install these systems for $75 each thermostat after the combined incentives (including labor, material, and recycling).

Nicor Gas does not currently have any incentives for smart thermostats to combine with the ComEd rebate.  However, keep on the lookout as that is always changing. They do offer a variety of other incentives for commercial properties.

How to Get My Smart Thermostat

If you are a residential homeowner and are on the hunt for a smart thermostat, you can pick one up now at the ComEd Marketplace and pay a reduced price without any hassle. Give the install a shot on your own, and if you need help – give us a call for a $99 installation.