Gem shines up smart-home drive with mobile app

Heating and hot water can be controlled by smartphone with British Gas app

Exertis Gem has sealed a deal to offer a British Gas smart home-heating application for mobile devices.

According to the distributor, the Hive Active Heating service allows users to control their gas-based heating and hot water supply remotely via smartphone, tablet, SMS or website.

Danielle Barker, consumer electronics category manager at Gem, confirmed that so-called connected-home technology has become an important focus for the distributor.

"Hive, by British Gas, puts the consumer fully in control of their heating offering a smart way to save money on their household bills and we're extremely excited to have been selected by British Gas to supply what I'm sure will be a very popular product," Barker said.

The offering will now be available to Gem's retail partners.

Kassir Hussain, director of connected homes at British Gas, said 80,000 UK households already use the Hive app, which was launched in October.

"Being able to control your home from your phone means that you never come home to a cold house," Hussain said. "This is what the future looks like."

Hussain said that Hive now has geolocation functionality as well, in response to customer feedback.

"It knows from your smartphone's location services when you're on your way home or are heading out, and prompts you to turn the heating off or on," he said.