With regard to ECHONET Lite compatible products in the domestic market, over 4.0 million units were shipped in FY2016, and since FY2013, a total of over 9.8 million products have been or are being used in general households. More than 23 million units of low-voltage smart meters, for which installations started in 2014, have been installed, and popularization of products compatible with ECHONET Lite equipment has been progressing steadily.
As for domestic promotion activities, ties were strengthened with Electrical Manufacturers’ Association and the Japan Federation of Housing Organizations, while ZEH and IoT leaflets that could easily be understood by the public were jointly prepared and distributed at exhibitions, etc., helping to promote IoT housing.
We also participated in the fiscal 2016 supplementary budget ZEH public advertisement briefing, explaining ECHONET Lite and IoT housing to construction-related parties in each region.
In countries outside of Japan, ECHONET Malaysia was established in cooperation with Keio University and signed an MOU with the ECHONET Consortium, greatly driving overseas promotion with the aim of promoting ECHONET Lite standards in other Asian countries. In addition, training programs were prepared for ECHONET Lite standards.
In terms of international standardization activities, the final international standard draft of the latest standards (Release G) for the eight priority devices proposed to IEC TC100 was adopted, and international standardization “IEC62394 Ed.3” was completed in April 2017.
Certifications for 171 cases have been issued under ECHONET Lite AIF third-party certification institutes since April 2016.
In terms of ECHONET Lite standards, ECHONET Lite AIF specifications are formulated for commercial-use package air conditioners and commercial refrigerated display cases for small and mid-sized buildings and stores.
This year we will promote smart house promotion activities using ZEH and ECHONET Lite equipment for housing makers, local residential construction companies, construction contractors, and residential designers through the Joint Working Group of Japan Electric Industry Association and the Japan Housing Federation . And ECHONET consortium will create new services including recruitment of IoT service.
In cooperation with related industrial associations, popularization of small markets ECHONET consortium will be promoted using ECHONET Lite AIF specifications for commercial-use air conditioners and commercial refrigeration display cases formulated in 2016.
In terms of overseas popularization measures, popularization in Asia will be promoted through expansion to other countries using ECHONET Malaysia as a base.
The ECHONET consortium will promote international standardization proposal activities of the ECHONET Lite AIF specification in collaboration with Kanagawa Institute of Technology, which was entrusted with the grant project of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Ministry of Industry and Technology Policy Bureau Environmental Management Bureau.
The ECHONET Consortium participates in the “JSCA Smart House Building Standard Project Promotion Study Group” sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the “Energy Resource Conservation Project Research Group (ERAB)” and we will create and revise the ECHONET Lite specification with related industry associations and affiliates.
Commemorative events are expected, since the ECHONET Consortium will mark its 20th anniversary on December 9 of this year.