A national study of using real time energy monitoring in low income housing across Australia (2015-2016) as part of Low Income Energy Efficiency Program

A national study of using real time energy monitoring in low income housing across Australia (2015-2016) as part of Low Income Energy Efficiency Program

Authors:

Andrei Bobylev, Andrew Petersen, William Ehmcke and Graeme Philipson

Organisation of Presenter:

Object Consulting Pty Ltd, Australia

Abstract:

The study included installation of Internet-enabled energy monitors in 300 homes across Australia, including both metropolitan and rural areas. Householders with energy monitors installed gained online access to their real-time energy consumption through Our Green Home™ online portal (www.ourgreenhome.com.au), enabling them to track their energy consumption in real-time, calculate cost savings, gain immediate visibility into effects of turning on and off household appliances as well as compare their weekly energy usage with other users. Energy usage data was collected from these households over a period of 12 months covering all seasons (Autumn 2015, Winter 2015, Spring 2015 and Summer 2016) and compared with the usage data collected from a similar-sized control group of households who did not get access to their online data.

The granularity of data collected through Our Green Home™ (5 seconds increments) allowed us to test a hypothesis that giving access to real-time information about costs would resolve the problem of information asymmetry and encourage energy saving behaviours.

The study showed that the information on energy consumption enabled by the usage of an energy monitor, providing users with information about their electricity consumption and costs in real time. Consequently, the trial noted a statistically significant reduction in energy usage amongst these participants by 5.0% on averag, for an annualised saving of an average of $72.71 per household. Depending on a number of variables around the cost of installing the monitors, this gives a payback period of 7-8 years.

The study also collected empirical evidence to identify factors that enhance or inhibit household’s ability to reduce energy consumption. The average annual electricity consumption of the households in the study is 5228 kWh per year (the Australian average is closer to 6000 kWh). The Program was, by definition, limited to low income households. Because their electricity consumption is already lower than that of households with a higher income, we found they were probably not the perfect demographic for this type of technology. But many low income households, especially those with low level of literacy, don’t understand the connection between their energy consumption habits and their energy consumption levels.