Core77 Design Awards 2012: Nest Learning Thermostat, Professional Runner-Up for Consumer Products
Posted in: Core77 Design Awards
Over the next few weeks we will be highlighting award-winning projects and ideas from this year’s Core77 Design Awards 2012! For full details on the project, jury commenting and more information about the awards program, go to Core77DesignAwards.com
- Nest Learning Thermostat
- Designer: Nest Labs, Inc. Tony Fadell, Ben Filson, Bould Design, Fred Bould
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Category: Consumer Products
- Award: Professional Runner up
The Nest Learning Thermostat frees you from the hassle of programming a thermostat while providing the conservation benefits of a programmed device. It learns about you and your home to develop a customized temperature schedule that will keep you comfortable while also conserving energy. It automatically shuts down when you are away and encourages energy conservation when you are home.
How did you learn that you had been recognized by the jury?
I came into the the studio around 8:30 am PST and Kristen had watched the webcast from London and said that it had just been announced that we had placed in the consumer products category. Obviously, we were thrilled.
What’s the latest news or development with your project?
In April 2012, just four months after Nest began shipping, new hardware was released to make installation even easier. Nest revamped the press connectors on the backplate, moving them to the outer edge so even those with the clumsiest of fingers can install Nest with ease. Nest also created custom screws that are engineered to work without wall anchors, saving people more time. Beyond that, Nest continues to make people happy by making them comfortable and saving them money.
What is one quick anecdote about your project?
Well, it was kind of exciting when we all gathered to look at the first cosmetic models that we had made. They were still a long way off from the final design, but many of the basic design elements were in place. The excitement was tangible. We knew we had a ways to go but we felt we were onto something.
What was an “a-ha” moment from this project?
I’m not sure if it was an “a-ha” moment but we did a lot of exploration around so many facets of the design and time and again we would return to the most simple, straightforward embodiment of any single element. So, I guess the lesson is that in so many instances, simplicity really is what works.
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