Challenge
Smart meters are the next generation of gas and electricity meters, which will be offered to every home by 2020 as part of a UK smart meter roll-out programme. The challenge is to understand how smart meter data can be used to help consumers save energy.
Insight
The Smart Metering Advice Project (SMAP) was developed to explore how smart meter data could be used to drive and motivate energy-related behaviour change by linking real-time energy data through a web tool to personalised advice services.
Action
We developed an online tool and personalised advice using smart meter data to motivate consumers to change their energy behaviours, as well as install energy saving measures. We also recruited a sample of the participants and carried out in-depth quantitative and qualitative surveys to understand the impacts of the advice provided and gather consumer feedback.
Result
The evaluation indicated that integrating live metering data with advice services is technically viable. It gathered consumer feedback about the project that will inform future development, including householder attitudes and satisfaction with the web tool, advice and support. It also highlighted the extent to which smart tailored advice motivated behaviour change and an increased awareness of energy consumption in the home.