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How far can monitoring, data and education cut home energy use?

5/2/2010

Chester community trial allows residents to view energy data on Google PowerMeter.

Residents of Blacon, Chester, are taking part in a trial in domestic energy economy. They are to be equipped with home energy management technology as part of DECC's Low Carbon Communities Challenge.

Community organisation Sustainable Blacon is one of the first tranche of communities selected for the DECC initiative. Home energy management service AlertMe is working with Sustainable Blacon on the 150-home trial. The trial involves: 50 ‘active' homes  equipped with AlertMe systems to actively monitor and manage energy and heating usage; 50 ‘passive' homes using systems which will allow passive monitoring of energy usage, and 50 ‘control' homes. Results from the trial will be measured against the control homes. All three groups will take part in a community based education programme.

AlertMe will supply a full kit including Meter Readers, Smart Plugs and Heating Controllers to the homes taking part in the ‘active' study.  The one-year trial will be monitored and evaluated to identify lessons.  Based on the experience, AlertMe and Sustainable Blacon will make recommendations on a ‘plug & play' solution for roll-out country wide, offering residents across the UK the opportunity to cut energy costs in their homes.

Blacon residents using the AlertMe Energy Kit will be able to view their home data online with Google PowerMeter or on their iGoogle homepage, as well as on the AlertMe online dashboard. This follows AlertMe's recently announced partnership with Google, becoming the first consumer company in the UK to partner with Google PowerMeter.