Z-Wave Alliance to Present the Impact of Interoperability at Smart Energy Summit, February 25-27

MILPITAS, CA--(Marketwire - Feb 19, 2013) - The Z-Wave Alliance, a consortium of global companies that oversees the world's largest interoperable ecosystem for wireless home control products and services -- announced today that William Scheffler, Director of Sales, Sigma Designs and Z-Wave Alliance board member, will be participating as a speaker at Parks Associates' Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, February 25-27 in San Antonio, Texas in the session "Device Interoperability: A Progress Report" on February 27 at 2:00 PM at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel.

The Smart Energy Summit examines the expanding market for energy solutions and home controls and its impact on utilities, service providers, retailers, manufacturers, and consumers. Parks Associates research shows the energy management market, especially through connected solutions, is drawing renewed interest from younger consumers, with 90% of U.S. consumers 18-34 willing to pay for a smart thermostat or smart water-tank controls to save 20% on their energy costs.

"Interoperability has always been at the core of Z-Wave technology with over 700 certified interoperable home control products now available," says Bill Scheffler, board member for the Z-Wave Alliance. "More and more service providers and utilities are turning to Z-Wave because of its large ecosystem of interoperable products from industry leading manufacturers and the choices and solutions they provide."

"Parks Associates research shows a growing number of U.S. households have energy management capabilities," said Stuart Sikes, president, Parks Associates. "We look forward to addressing these opportunities at this year's conference and analyzing new market developments, including steps to integrate energy solutions with home controls and security as part of a comprehensive connected home strategy and identifying new business models for in the security, cable, telecom, utility, retail, or HVAC channels."

Smart Energy Summit hosts more than 200 executives representing utilities, telecom and security companies, retailers, and OEMs presenting on the state of the market and the emerging consumer and business opportunities.

For information about the Smart Energy Summit, contact sales@parksassociates.com or call 972-490-1113 or visit www.smartenergysummit2013.com.

About The Z-Wave Alliance:
Established in 2005, the Z-Wave Alliance is an open consortium of leading companies worldwide dedicated to delivering affordable, reliable easy-to-use, wireless home control products and services. With more than 700 interoperable products certified and over 160 members, the Alliance represents the largest ecosystem of wireless control products in existence and the global, brand-recognized companies that bring these products and services to market. The Alliance supports its members with marketing, networking, technical forums, training, best practices, test and certification tools and a complete interoperability lab. For more information about the Alliance and how to join it, please email info@z-wavealliance.org or visit www.z-wavealliance.org.

About Z-Wave Technology:
Z-Wave is an international wireless standard (ITU-T G.9959) for intelligent, interoperable, low-power, RF mesh networking technology. This powerful smart chip and compact protocol enable two-way RF communications amongst Z-Wave enabled devices, thus allowing products and services from multiple manufacturers to work together seamlessly. Z-Wave continues to be the technology of choice for industry leaders representing: Security and Access Control, Remote Home/Health Monitoring, Home Entertainment, Hospitality, Energy Management and Connected Home Services. Z-Wave enabled products represent the world's largest ecosystem of interoperable smart products for the residential and light commercial market. www.z-wave.com

Z-Wave® is a registered trade mark of Sigma Designs and its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

About Smart Energy Summit

Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer examines the expanding market for energy solutions and home controls and its impact on utilities, service providers, retailers, manufacturers, and consumers.

At this annual conference, Parks Associates analysts, media, and industry leaders evaluate new partnerships, strategies for consumer engagement, and deployment plans for energy and management solutions in the connected home.

The summit agenda features executives representing utilities, telecom and security companies, retailers, and OEMs presenting on the state of the market and the emerging consumer and business opportunities.

The fourth-annual Smart Energy Summit will take place February 25-27, 2013, at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas. www.smartenergysummit2013.com