Rheem – Mobile App
Rethinking a Lithuanian bank's app — from flow audit to high-fidelity UI and a reasoned pitch.
Challenge
Despite that adoption, the existing interface carried a dated, visually noisy design — dense red backgrounds, cramped icon grids on the home screen, and troubleshooting flows (like "Fix It") that buried users in long, undifferentiated lists of error codes with no visual hierarchy or guidance. As Rheem's device lineup grew across multiple brands and product types (thermostats, hybrid water heaters, HVAC systems), the existing design couldn't scale — users struggled to onboard new devices, navigate between zones, or resolve issues without contacting support directly. The app needed an interface that could handle real complexity — multiple brands, multiple device types, multiple rooms — without overwhelming the homeowner using it.
Outcome
The legacy EcoNet app had reached 100K+ downloads and a 4.0-star rating across 11.4K reviews — proof of real-world adoption at scale, and the baseline the redesign needed to build on without disrupting.
Context
EcoNet is Rheem's smart home app for controlling HVAC systems and water heaters across the Rheem family of brands (Rheem, Ruud, Friedrich, Richmond, Sure Comfort, Russell by Rheem, Durastar). The app lets homeowners manage climate and hot water remotely, monitor energy usage, and automate schedules across multiple zones and devices.
Design principles
- Zone-based control — organizing multiple rooms/devices (Living Room, Kitchen, Bedrooms, Office) into a single scannable overview instead of per-device navigation.
- Guided device onboarding — step-by-step setup flow (Location → Connection → Customize) with visual device picker and QR code scanning to reduce setup friction.
- At-a-glance status, deep control on demand — large temperature dial as the primary interaction, with mode, fan, and humidity tucked into secondary tiles.
- Energy transparency — dedicated usage reporting with daily/weekly/monthly/yearly views and historical comparison, turning raw consumption data into actionable insight.
- Proactive guidance — contextual banners (e.g. "set to Energy Savings Mode") nudging users toward efficient settings without forcing a decision.
- Consistent brand system — a unified red/white visual language and iconography applied across every device type and brand under the Rheem umbrella.
Walkthrough
Remote Access (Home)
Central dashboard showing all connected devices, live readings, and quick "I'm Home" mode toggle.
Set Temperature
Primary thermostat control with real-time dial adjustment and schedule-override state.
Customized Zones
Multi-room overview letting users monitor and adjust each zone independently.
Usage Reporting
Visual energy consumption breakdown with historical comparison and unit totals.