Get started with Ecobee Thermostats

Learn how to connect and control your Ecobee devices with the Seam API

Ecobee Thermostats

Overview

Seam provides a universal API to connect and control many brands of devices such as smart locks, thermostats, and sensors. This guide provides a rapid introduction to connecting and controlling your Ecobee thermostats using the Seam API. To learn more about other brands of devices supported by Seam, head over to our integration page.

To simplify the examples below, we'll use the following modules and utility variables:

1. Install Seam SDK

Seam provides client libraries for many languages such as Javascript, Python, Ruby, and PHP, as well as a Postman collection and OpenAPI spec.

• Javascript: npm i seamapi (npm, github)

• Python: pip install seamapi (pip, github)

• Ruby: bundle add seamapi (rubygem, github) (Thermostats coming soon!)

• PHP: composer require seamapi/seam (packagist, github) (Thermostats coming soon!)

Once installed, sign-up for Seam to get your API key, and export it as an environment variable:

$ export SEAM_API_KEY=seam_test2ZTo_0mEYQW2TvNDCxG5Atpj85Ffw

This guide uses a Sandbox Workspace. Only virtual thermostats can be connected. If you need to connect a real Ecobee device, use a non-sandbox workspace and API key.

2. Link Ecobee Account with Seam

To control your Ecobee device via the Seam API, you must first authorize your Seam workspace against your Ecobee account. To do so, Seam provides Connect Webviews: pre-built UX flows that walk you through authorizing your application to control your Ecobee device.

Create a Connect Webview

Python

from seamapi import Seam
seam = Seam()

webview = seam.connect_webviews.create(accepted_providers=["ecobee"])

assert webview.login_successful is False

# Send this webview url to your user!
print(webview.url)

Javascript

import Seam from 'seamapi'

const seam = new Seam()

const connectWebview = await seam.connectWebviews.create({
  accepted_providers: ["ecobee"],
})

console.log(connectWebview.login_successful) // false

// Send the webview URL to your user
console.log(connectWebview.url)

Ruby

require "seamapi"

seam = Seam::Client.new(api_key: "MY_API_KEY")

webview = seam.connect_webviews.create(
  accepted_providers: ["ecobee"]
)

puts webview.login_successful # false

# Send the webview URL to your user 
puts webview.url

PHP

use Seam\SeamClient;

$seam = new SeamClient("YOUR_API_KEY");

$webview = $seam->connect_webviews->create(
  accepted_providers: ["ecobee"]
);

# Send this webview url to your user!
echo json_encode($webview)

Authorize Your Workspace

Navigate to the URL returned by the Webview object. Since you are using a sandbox workspace, complete the login flow by entering the Ecobee sandbox test accounts credentials below:

• email: [email protected]

• password: 1234

Seam Connect Webview flow to connect Ecobee account with Seam

Get the New Webview

After you complete the login above, you'll get an event for connected_account.createdif you set up a webhook handler. Otherwise you can just poll for the webview until it's status changes, as shown below:

Python

updated_webview = seam.connect_webviews.get(
    webview.connect_webview_id
)

assert updated_webview.login_successful # true

Javascript

const updatedWebview = await seam.connectWebviews.get(
  connectWebview.connect_webview_id,
)

console.log(updatedWebview.login_successful) // true

Ruby

updated_webview = seam.connect_webviews.get(webview.connect_webview_id)

puts updated_webview.login_successful # true

PHP

$webview = $seam->connect_webviews->get($webview->id);
echo json_encode($webview);

3. Retrieve your Ecobee Thermostat

Ecobee thermostats appear with the device_type "ecobee_thermostat".

Python

devices = seam.devices.list(device_type="ecobee_thermostat")

devices[0]
# Device(
#   {
#     "device_id": "6019bfc1-c665-4eb7-85e5-0f4c06d9423f",
#     "device_type": "ecobee_thermostat",
#     "capabilities_supported": [
#       "thermostat"
#     ],
#     "properties": {
#       "online": true,
#       "is_cooling": false,
#       "is_heating": false,
#       "manufacturer": "ecobee",
#       "is_fan_running": false,
#       "ecobee_metadata": {
#         "device_name": "Office",
#         "ecobee_device_id": "b489215e-2e2d-4179-b4d9-bbaa9f531514"
#       },
#       "has_direct_power": true,
#       "relative_humidity": 0.54,
#       "temperature_celsius": 21.2,
#       "temperature_fahrenheit": 70.2,
#       "current_climate_setting": {
#         "hvac_mode_setting": "off",
#         "manual_override_allowed": false,
#         "automatic_cooling_enabled": false,
#         "automatic_heating_enabled": false
#       },
#       "default_climate_setting": {
#         "hvac_mode_setting": "off",
#         "manual_override_allowed": false,
#         "automatic_cooling_enabled": false,
#         "automatic_heating_enabled": false
#       },
#       "available_hvac_mode_settings": [
#         "off",
#         "cool",
#         "heat",
#         "heatcool"
#       ],
#       "can_enable_automatic_cooling": true,
#       "can_enable_automatic_heating": true,
#       "is_temporary_manual_override_active": false,
#       "name": "Office",
#       "image_url": "https://connect.getseam.com/assets/images/devices/ecobee_logo_square.png",
#       "image_alt_text": "Ecobee Thermostat Image",
#       "is_climate_setting_schedule_active": false
#     },
#     "location": null,
#     "connected_account_id": "83d9062d-8f8e-4ec8-8f84-427595f94e10",
#     "workspace_id": "cd9f2ac9-b201-4591-80ec-0edf08645014",
#     "created_at": "2023-06-08T17:49:50.196Z",
#     "errors": [],
#     "warnings": []
#   }
# )

Javascript

const devices = await seam.devices.list({
  device_type: 'ecobee_thermostat',
})

console.log(devices[0])
/*
{
  "device_id": "6019bfc1-c665-4eb7-85e5-0f4c06d9423f",
  "device_type": "ecobee_thermostat",
  "capabilities_supported": [
    "thermostat"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "online": true,
    "is_cooling": false,
    "is_heating": false,
    "manufacturer": "ecobee",
    "is_fan_running": false,
    "ecobee_metadata": {
      "device_name": "Office",
      "ecobee_device_id": "b489215e-2e2d-4179-b4d9-bbaa9f531514"
    },
    "has_direct_power": true,
    "relative_humidity": 0.54,
    "temperature_celsius": 21.2,
    "temperature_fahrenheit": 70.2,
    "current_climate_setting": {
      "hvac_mode_setting": "off",
      "manual_override_allowed": false,
      "automatic_cooling_enabled": false,
      "automatic_heating_enabled": false
    },
    "default_climate_setting": {
      "hvac_mode_setting": "off",
      "manual_override_allowed": false,
      "automatic_cooling_enabled": false,
      "automatic_heating_enabled": false
    },
    "available_hvac_mode_settings": [
      "off",
      "cool",
      "heat",
      "heatcool"
    ],
    "can_enable_automatic_cooling": true,
    "can_enable_automatic_heating": true,
    "is_temporary_manual_override_active": false,
    "name": "Office",
    "image_url": "https://connect.getseam.com/assets/images/devices/ecobee_logo_square.png",
    "image_alt_text": "Ecobee Thermostat Image",
    "is_climate_setting_schedule_active": false
  },
  "location": null,
  "connected_account_id": "83d9062d-8f8e-4ec8-8f84-427595f94e10",
  "workspace_id": "cd9f2ac9-b201-4591-80ec-0edf08645014",
  "created_at": "2023-06-08T17:49:50.196Z",
  "errors": [],
  "warnings": []
}
*/

Ruby

# Coming soon!

PHP

// Coming soon!

4. Create a Climate Setting Schedule

A Climate Setting Schedule allows you to set up a thermostat HVAC mode setting (heating, cooling, or off) and desired temperature set points during a specified time frame

For instance, if you are a short-term-rental host who has a guest staying from Jan 1st - Jan 7th, you can create a Climate Setting Schedule that sets the thermostat to a climate setting (i.e. Heat to 70°C) throughout that guest's stay.

The Seam API makes it easy to program timebound climate setting schedules onto an Ecobee thermostat. You can find out more about Ecobee thermostat climate setting in our core concept section on climate settings.

Python

seam.climate_setting_schedules.create(
    "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174001",
    name="Guest #1234",
    schedule_starts_at="2022-07-01T10:40:00Z",
    schedule_ends_at="2022-07-10T10:40:00Z",
    automatic_heating_enabled=True,
    automatic_cooling_enabled=True,
    heating_set_point_fahrenheit=70,
    cooling_set_point_fahrenheit=75,
    manual_override_enabled=true
)

# ClimateSettingSchedule:
#    climate_setting_schedule_id: 123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000
#    device_id: 123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174001
#    name: Guest Stay #1234  
#    schedule_starts_at: 2022-07-01T10:40:00Z    
#    schedule_ends_at: 2022-07-10T10:40:00Z     
#    created_at: 2022-07-06T23:26:42.223Z      
#    is_set_on_device: False
#    automatic_heating_enabled: True
#    automatic_cooling_enabled: True  
#    hvac_mode_setting: heatcool
#    cooling_set_point_fahrenheit: 75 
#    heating_set_point_fahrenheit: 65
#    manual_override_allowed: False

Javascript

await seam.climateSettingSchedules.create({
    "device_id": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174001",
    "name": "Guest Stay #1234",
    "schedule_starts_at": "2022-07-01T10:40:00Z",
    "schedule_ends_at": "2022-07-10T10:40:00Z",
    "automatic_heating_enabled": true,
    "automatic_cooling_enabled": true,
    "cooling_set_point_fahrenheit": 75,
    "heating_set_point_fahrenheit": 65,
    "manual_override_allowed": true
});

/*
{
    "climate_setting_schedule_id": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
    "device_id": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174001",
    "name": "Guest Stay #1234",
    "schedule_starts_at": "2022-07-01T10:40:00Z",
    "schedule_ends_at": "2022-07-10T10:40:00Z",
    "created_at": "2022-07-06T23:26:42.223Z",
    "is_set_on_device": false,
    "automatic_heating_enabled": true,
    "automatic_cooling_enabled": true,
    "hvac_mode_setting": "heatcool",
    "cooling_set_point_fahrenheit": 75,
    "heating_set_point_fahrenheit": 65,
    "manual_override_allowed": false
}
*/

Ruby

Coming soon!

PHP

Coming soon!

5. Set your Default Climate Setting

When there are no active Climate Setting Schedules, the thermostat will fallback to its Default Climate Setting.

The Default Climate Setting for a thermostat will be set to the following settings by default:

• automatic_cooling_enabled: off

• automatic_heating_enabled: off

For example, if you are a short-term-rental host, you have configure a more energy-saving temperature setting here (i.e. Heat to 45°C).

Python

seam.thermostats.update(
  device_id: "a83690b2-2b70-409a-9a94-426699b84c97",
  default_climate_setting: {
    "automatic_cooling_enabled": true,
    "automatic_heating_enabled": true,
    "cooling_set_point_fahrenheit": 70
    "heating_set_point_fahrenheit": 65
  }
)

# <Seam::ActionAttempt:0x008f6b0                                                         
#   status="success"                                                                     
#   action_type="UPDATE_THERMOSTAT"
#   action_attempt_id="4c3f9e12-5c9e-474e-92c4-719f72e13496"
#   result={}>

Javascript

await seam.thermostats.update({
  device_id: "a83690b2-2b70-409a-9a94-426699b84c97",
  default_climate_setting: {
    "automatic_heating_enabled": true,
    "heating_set_point_fahrenheit": 70
  },
});

//{}

Ruby

# Coming soon!

PHP

// Coming soon!

Next Steps

Now that you've completed this guide, you can try to connect a real Ecobee device. To do so, make sure to switch to a non-sandbox workspace and API key as real devices cannot be connected to sandbox workspaces.

If you have any questions or want to report an issue, email us at [email protected]