Smart meter solution to pilot home heating insights
Scotland-headquartered energy solution provider SMS is leading a consortium to investigate how energy efficiency insights can help to manage heating.
The pilot, which is being supported by the government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), proposes to access a temperature sensor that is built into a smart meter’s in-home display in order to record real-time temperature data within consumers’ homes.
The temperature data, along with corresponding outside temperature data obtained from weather reports, will then be compared with the related consumption data from gas smart meters in order to calculate a home heat efficiency.
SMS will use the energy data platform from n3rgy, its subsidiary company, to capture consumer consent to record the data.
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Heat transfer coefficient algorithms then analyse homes’ historic gas usage data to create different archetype groups and benchmarks. Tailored advice and solutions can then be presented to consumers via an app suggesting how to use energy more cost effectively.
Recommendations on specific energy efficiency upgrade options, such as fabric improvements and suitability for more sustainable heating systems, will also be identified and offered to the participating homes.
“This exciting project is yet another great opportunity to show how the smart meter system can be used as a platform for innovation,” says Tom Woolley, smart product and strategy director at SMS.
“The use case we have identified will enable a low cost, mass market opportunity using existing technologies to assess the heat loss coefficient of a property. In turn, we anticipate we will be able to intelligently identify solutions for homeowners, such as modelling the impact a heat pump would have in their home, as well as offering more practical advice on home energy efficiency.”
Other members of the consortium include the independent energy supplier Green Energy UK and Chameleon Technology, whose in-home display with built in temperature sensor is already being deployed as part of the national smart meter rollout and whose ivie smart energy app will be utilised to deliver the insights to customers.
The project is part of BEIS’s new Smart Meter-based Internet of Things Applications programme, which aims to support innovation to determine the feasibility of the use of IoT sensor devices within the smart meter system.
