Samsung Electronics today announced that it has signed the European Union’s (EU) Code of Conduct (CoC) for interoperability and Energy Smart Appliances (ESAs). The CoC aims to accelerate the rollout of connected appliances that can work seamlessly with energy systems and help households use electricity more efficiently.

“Samsung believes connected appliances can play a meaningful role in the energy transition by helping households use energy more intelligently, without adding complexity to everyday life,” said Hyesoon Yang, Executive Vice President for the Digital Appliances (DA) New Biz Team at Samsung Electronics. “By joining this EU initiative, we aim to help make energy-smart functionality more accessible to consumers.”

Developed with manufacturers by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and Directorate-General (DG) for Energy, the CoC promotes cross-brand interoperability by defining common energy-related services and the information needed to enable them, even when different communication protocols are used. It covers a variety of energy-labeled appliances, such as major white goods and HVAC categories.

In line with the initiative’s timelines, Samsung combo, washer and dishwasher models that meet the CoC requirements have been registered in the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) as ESAs. These models support the Optimal Scheduling¹ feature within SmartThings Energy,² enabling appliances to operate during off-peak hours. Additionally, SmartThings Energy allows users to monitor and manage energy consumption through the SmartThings app.

Looking forward, Samsung plans to gradually expand its lineup of products that comply with CoC requirements and continue contributing to efficient energy use.

1. Available in countries such as those in Europe where peak-time pricing is applied. Availability and benefits may vary by electricity provider and tariff conditions. Optimal Scheduling is set by the user in SmartThings Energy during peak-time settings. The device notifies the user of peak times and allows them to choose when to start. For home appliances without screens, users can check Optimal Scheduling status through an LED indicator. ︎
2. Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. ︎

The individual pictured is European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne Thyssen, and the photo was taken during the European Pact for Youth conference on November 24, which was jointly organized by CSR Europe and the European Commission. While many prominent companies were represented at the conference, Samsung had the privilege of being the only company given the opportunity to demonstrate a solution for how immersive technology can be used to inspire education.

Partnerships for Education

Samsung has invested in the European Pact for Youth initiative, which brings together representatives from business, education and the European Union to fight youth unemployment in Europe, for the last three years. During that span, Samsung’s citizenship programs have reached nearly 400,000 young people across the continent, equipping teachers and creating opportunities for students to learn new digital skills. Samsung has also been a key player in encouraging further business and education partnerships across Europe through its CSR Europe board membership.

Although the European Pact for Youth has equipped thousands of young people with new digital skills and the confidence to seize future employment opportunities, unemployment and a digital-skills gap continue to exist in European society. To address these issues, Samsung will continue to strengthen its business and education collaborations—cooperating in an anticompetitive manner at all levels of education, and continuing to nurture the digitally literate workforce of the future.

A Whole New Way of Learning

The Gear VR biology lesson demoed at the conference was yet another example of how Samsung is reimagining ways in which technology may be used in the classroom.

To design it, Samsung Germany collaborated with Cornelsen, one of the leading providers of high-quality educational media in German-speaking countries. Together, the partners developed immersive material that takes students on a journey beyond the confines of their biology textbook and into the human body itself.

The lesson was simple yet effective. One student was given a tablet displaying information on relevant scientific principles while the other was presented with vivid animations of organs and biological processes in action on the Gear VR.

“Studying biology through the Gear VR was a very cool and new experience,” said one of the participating students, after experiencing a lesson with the technology for the first time. “I’ve never tried anything like it before,” she continued. “It felt much easier and more fun to learn, and most of all, it was easy to understand because I saw it with my own eyes.”

When presented with the prospect of studying with the engaging technology on a regular basis, the student’s response was enthusiastic. “I want to use VR in my class to study as soon as possible!” she said.

Stories Reflect Success

To assess the success of its educational initiatives, Samsung could point to the more than 1,300 Smart Classrooms and 65 Tech Institutes it’s created, and the nearly 400,000 young students who have benefited from these programs since 2013. Such figures, however, do not speak nearly as loudly as the stories behind them.

The accounts of the inspirational teachers and talented students who are already well on their way toward becoming the innovators of tomorrow are what inspire Samsung to innovate and enhance the learning experience. Because everyone, no matter what barriers may lie in their way, has the right to a quality education.