Energy Service Companies Explore Smart-Home' Technology as Means to Secure,
Expand Services to Residential, Small Business Consumers; Special Workshop
to Review Smart-Home' Automation for Energy Industry

HOUSTON, TEXAS (10/30/01): Energy services firms, such as Reliant Resources
Inc. and The New Power Company, have been exploring new home-automation
systems to determine if these technologies will offer new ways to serve
their retail customers.  Both companies have launched pilot tests in states
leading in energy deregulation, such as Texas and Pennsylvania.  

Home-automation (HA) promises to bring advancements to households the way
networked servers and telecommunications have transformed office places.
Through centralized controllers, wireless communications networks, broader
bandwidth and even artificial intelligence, technology firms, such as
Microsoft and IBM, are working to centralize and digitally automate the
control of many household functions.

"We've identified at least 14 areas where home-automation is in full
development," said Bob Nimocks, president of Zeus Development Corporation
and organizer of the workshop.  "If successful, these companies will give
home and business owners the means to improve the functionality of their
environments in amazing ways while reducing their need for energy, water and
other resources."

Home automation (HA) is linking many household electronic systems, such as
phone, computing, entertainment and sound systems, thermostats, lighting,
security and irrigation into a centrally controlled network that can be
managed remotely via the Internet or cell phone.   These systems allow
homeowners to more effectively manage their energy usage as well as improve
their lifestyle.  

Allied Business Intelligence predicts this market will rise from US$267
million in 2000 to $7.1 billion in 2007. 	

"I live in a home in the Woodlands that is kind of a pilot home.  I can
control my thermostat, turn on my lights and access my meter on the Internet
from downtown Houston," said Joe Flynn, an e-business executive at Reliant
Resources.   "From virtually anywhere in the world, I can use my cell phone
or PDA to turn on my lights, set my air conditioner or see what's going on
in my home."

"The Internet is being extended to everyday household appliances that we
don't normally associate with computing," IBM's Michel Mayer told the
NewsFactor Network in a recent interview. "The technology to enable this is
available today but requires companies to come together to build end-to-end
solutions." 

Microsoft Corporation has been working on intelligent software systems that
will sense and automatically adjust household systems to the occupant's
needs throughout the day.  

Likewise, IBM and National Semiconductor Corporation are partnering to help
companies develop home networking software that will enable high-speed
Internet connectivity throughout the home for computers, household
appliances and electronics. 

"Energy is not going to be about wires and pipes anymore," Flynn predicted.
"It's going to be about information.  How you use your energy and when you
use it will be as valuable as how many kilowatts you use, and the
time-of-day pricing models will be set up that way."
	

Home Automation Workshop
Tuesday, Dec. 4, a workshop, entitled "Home Automation: The New Frontier for
Retail Energy Services," will be held at the Houston George R. Brown
Convention Center to review and demonstrate how home automation is changing
the management of homes and small businesses as well as the service
expectations of their owners.  The workshop will be held in advance of the
Interactive Energy conference and exhibition.  
Delegates will learn of the various types of HA innovations and where they
apply to energy services. A large multi-city pilot implementation will be
reviewed.  Last, a panel of researchers will discuss what is on the horizon
and reflect on what may further emerge.  Companies participating in the
workshop include IBM, Microsoft, Sargent Electric, EGT Technologies and
others.  For program details, see www.interactiveenergy.com.

About Interactive Energy
Interactive Energy will be held at Houston's George R. Brown Convention
Center, Dec. 4-7.  The annual conference and exhibition covers information
technology (IT) advancements in the energy industry and features numerous
case studies of technology implementations, new software demonstrations,
business plans and special workshops.  Conference Sponsors of Interactive
Energy 2001 already include Enermetrix (www.enermetrix.com), SAIC
(www.saic.com), AT&T (www.att.com), Microsoft (www.microsoft.com), Luminant
Worldwide (www.luminant.com), Oracle (www.oracle.com), Unisys
(www.unisys.com), Conchango (www.conchango.com), Proclarity
(www.proclarity.com) and Silicon Energy (www.siliconenergy.com).  Supporters
include PR Newswire, Energy Central, TIPRO, Techxans and the Houston
Business Journal.

About Zeus Development Corporation: 
Celebrating its tenth year of incorporation, Zeus Development Corporation is
a privately owned research consultancy offering strategic and business
development information through reports, monthly periodicals, databases,
consulting services and conferences to the energy industry in the areas of
information technology and downstream natural gas development.  

For more information, contact Ms. Whitney Casso, 832-200-3718 or
wcasso@zeusdevelopment.com