Smart Meter Enabled Thermal Efficiency Ratings SMETER

Smart Meter Enabled Thermal Efficiency Ratings (SMETER) refers to what the UK government calls 'technologies that measure the thermal performance of homes using smart meter and other data.'

in 2018 the UK government launched the Smart Meter Enabled Thermal Efficiency Ratings (SMETER) Innovation Programme, calling for teams to develop, test and demonstrate technologies that measure the thermal performance of homes, using smart meter and other data. Up to £4.1 million was provided for innovation projects to develop SMETER tools. Up to £900,000 was provided for a Technical Assessment Contractor to independently test and demonstrate SMETER tools developed during the innovation projects, expected to be completed and to disseminate learning by January 2021.

The contract for Technical Assessment Contractor was awarded to a consortium made up of: Loughborough University, UCL, Leeds Beckett and Halton Housing. 8 projects secured funding in the competition below is a list of the participating organisations along with a brief description of the SMETER technology and product:

• A Building Research Establishment BRE: Used only smart meter data and required no additional hardware product in the home. Required data that could be found in an EPC survey, plus: number of bedrooms.
• B Build Test Solutions BTS: Five wireless and battery-powered sensors (temperature and relative humidity) that report to a hub. The hub was connected to the internet. Required data that could be found in an EPC survey, plus: floor plan; and type, area, and orientation of each window.
• C Cambridge Architectural Research CAR A proprietary heating controller with a touch screen interface (with temperature sensor), wireless boiler receiver unit, and five wirelessly controlled (battery powered) motorised TRVs (with temperature sensors) to install on radiators. Additionally, five wireless battery-powered sensors (each measuring temperature, relative humidity, light, and motion detection) report to a hub. The hub and the heating controller were connected to the internet. Required data that could be found in an EPC survey.
• D Centre for Sustainable Energy CSE Seven battery-powered data logging air temperature sensors, placed in different rooms, and then mailed back to the participating organisation at the end of monitoring. Included a shielded external air temperature sensor mounted to an external wall. No other information about the home was required.
• E EDF EDF Used only smart meter data and required no additional hardware product in the home or any other information about the home.
• F Hoare Lea HOA Four wireless battery-powered sensors (temperature and relative humidity) that report to a hub. The hub was connected to the internet. Required data that could be found in an EPC survey, plus: floor plan.
• G Passiv UK PAS Two battery-powered wireless sensors (temperature and relative humidity) connected to the local Sigfox wireless network. Required data that could be found in an EPC survey, plus: floor plan, number of bedrooms, number of occupants.
• H Switchee SWI A proprietary smart heating controller. The heating controller measured temperature, relative humidity, and motion detection. There were no additional sensors, and no external internet connection (the participant reported GSM cellular communications were built into the system). Required data that could be found in an EPC survey, plus: floor plan; and type, area, and orientation of each window

Follow links here for further information about the Smart Meter Enabled Thermal Efficiency Ratings (SMETER) Innovation Programme (2019) and the Smart meter enabled thermal efficiency ratings (SMETER) technologies project: technical evaluation.

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