Modern design and intuitive operation

The NEA room thermostat from REHAU Water Technologies is one of the winners of the Red Dot Award: Product Design for 2026. According to a panel of international experts, the decisive factors in the award were the precise, minimalist design and the intuitive user interaction.

The Red Dot Award: Product Design is one of the world’s most prestigious product design competitions. Amidst entries from 61 countries, the NEA room thermostat submitted by REHAU Water Technologies stood out thanks to its high-quality design. In particular, the jury praised the successful combination of clear design and intuitive user guidance.

The basic NEA model offers the most essential functions in a clearly structured, intuitive operating system. Capacitive buttons and a generously sized horizontal display facilitate intuitive interaction. Features such as automatic window-open detection, multi-level menu navigation and virtually tool-free installation reflect a consistently user-centric approach to development.

The NEA design follows a consistent and clear aesthetic that blends harmoniously into a wide variety of residential and commercial settings. The striking layered housing combines a minimalist aesthetic with functional details, discreetly incorporating ventilation slots into the design and giving the room thermostat an understated presence in spite of its technical function. At the same time, NEA integrates seamlessly into the REHAU Water Technologies portfolio as well as modern heating and cooling systems, including heat pumps.

“The Red Dot Design Award underlines our commitment to developing products that combine technical precision, intuitive operation and high-quality design,” explains Lisa Huebner, Product Manager for Control Technology at REHAU Water Technologies. “With NEA, we offer users a high level of convenience while supporting specialist trades with a particularly straightforward installation process.”

Awards ceremony in Essen

The Red Dot Gala took place on 7 July 2026 at the Aalto Theatre in Essen, and was followed by a Designers’ Night event at the Red Dot Design Museum at the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, NEA was presented alongside the other award-winning products for the year.

Those interested can find further information by visiting www.rehau.com/sites-en/room-thermostat-nea and at the following link: Red Dot Design Award: NEA.