Smart Energy Explained
Smart energy is coming to a home near you. It may already be in place, making a property reactive and efficient using the latest technology.
Smart Energy Explained
Smart energy is coming to a home near you. It may already be in place, making a property reactive and efficient using the latest technology.
Smart energy is the term used to describe a house managed by smart meters, as outlined by the
UK Government website. A smart meter is much like your existing meter, measuring the amount of energy you use and providing the information on a display within the home. The main difference is the way it uses the information it collates. Whilst a traditional meter merely displays how much it has used, a smart meter will send it wirelessly back to the supplier. This allows the provider to react to patterns in energy usage, and currently allocate resources at peak times and reduce wasted energy. Simply put, by installing a smart meter you can affect the carbon footprint of the nation without doing a single thing.
Can I Have a Smart Meter Fitted?
Smart meters are being regularly rolled out across the country but not every property is suitable. If you live in an isolated rural area, a high-rise block of flats or if your home has thick walls, you may not be able to have one fitted. Similarly, if your gas and electric meter are far apart, that too can be a problem. There have been some instances of homes with solar panels being refused smart meters too, but only it is only a small percentage of such homes. Other than that, you can have a smart meter fitted.
Can a Smart Meter Save Me Money?
The short answer is yes, a smart meter can save you money. It means much more accurate bills from your supplier, who no longer estimates use but bills you what you owe. Do remember, after installing any new equipment in your home, it is wise to protect yourself against malfunction. A new smart meter may well save you money, but it taps into both your electric supply for power, and the other services coming into your home, all of which can develop faults. It is advisable when making changes to your system that you instigate some form of insurance to protect your property. Home assistance provider
HomeServe suggests that for a little outlay a month, you can protect your boiler, electrics, gas, and water supply. With technology becoming more advanced, having some additional protection to cover you against a malfunction could be a wise choice in the long term.
How Else Can it Revolutionise My Life?
Whilst a smart meter sounds like a useful addition, you might be wondering how it can truly revolutionise the way you live your life. After all, does it not just tell your company how much energy you are using? Yes, it does, but there are benefits which you may not immediately become aware of.
By having a display in your home, showing how much energy you are using, it is easier to cut down, become more efficient and change your living patterns. It could be termed ‘family awareness’, helping drive down your usage and bills. You could combine smart energy with a product such as Sense, which further monitors the individual usage around the home, further helping drive down bills.
Also, whilst there are some teething problems with some
solar panels,
Green Tech Media claims that smart energy and solar energy are becoming more compatible. That means that not only are you generating your own energy in the home, but technology is becoming available which efficiently allocates usage, releases your own energy at key areas and even senses when you are not home to adjust its consumption accordingly.
For all the latest news within facilities management, be sure to pay regular visits to
Network6.org.uk.
For all the latest news within facilities management, be sure to pay regular visits to Network6.org.uk.
