HGI to use Chicago meeting to look at application of ZigBee profiles for its Home Energy Management service specifications

30 August 2011 - The Home Gateway Initiative (HGI) has today announced the agenda for its Chicago meeting, running from September 6-9. Key among the agenda items is the discussion on Wednesday, September 7 of HGI’s Energy Task Force with executives from the ZigBee Alliance. Together, the two groups will discuss the application of ZigBee standards to the Home Energy Management (HEM) services under specification within HGI.

This comes as HGI is on the verge of publishing the use-cases and overall architecture for HEM as agreed among the broadband service providers and the HGI manufacturers. In the next phase of the work, now underway, HGI will set specific requirements on the Home Gateway for support of these services.

Bob Heile, Chairman of the ZigBee Alliance, commented: “ZigBee has accumulated vast experience through the development of our ZigBee Smart Energy and ZigBee Home Automation standards, and this work will facilitate HGI’s work on their Home Energy Management services.”

HGI’s HEM work builds on already published material aimed at reducing the energy footprint related to broadband service. The Chicago meeting will continue the discussions established with many industry stakeholders at the special HGI meeting on HEM in March, 2011 in Italy.

Oliver Lamparter, Chairman of HGI’s Energy Task Force, said: “HGI’s requirements work on HEM will enable broadband customers to better manage and control their household’s energy consumption. We are very pleased to welcome the ZigBee Alliance to our meeting to discuss the latest developments in ZigBee Smart Energy and ZigBee Home Automation, so that we can understand their potential application to the HEM services.”

The meeting also features other key items that will enhance the broadband experience. New for the Chicago meeting are dedicated discussions on Next-Generation Communications, Key Performance Indicators for home networking technologies, and power state management of home network connected devices.  The Chicago meeting will also see a major focus on preparing the 2011 Home Gateway test event, scheduled for Q4, 2011.

HGI is the world’s leading member-led organisation devoted to translating broadband service providers’ service plans into published technology requirements for home enablers.

For more information about the HGI meeting, please visit www.homegatewayinitiative.org or email [email protected].