Smart meters change people’s energy behaviour

After having a smart meter installed, 86% of householders make energy-saving changes to their behaviour, according to a survey by Smart Energy GB.

What’s more, these changes are maintained in the months and years after a smart meter installation.

Nearly four in ten (39%) people with a smart meter had fitted energy-efficient lightbulbs immediately after having one installed, and the figure increased to more than two in three (67%) of those who had had their smart meter for more than two years. More than three-quarters (77%) said they were doing as much as they could to save energy immediately after getting their smart meter, rising to 83% for longer term smart meter households.

Those who have had a smart meter for more than two years are more likely to say that they understand what they need to do to save energy around the home, the research showed.

A majority (91%) of smart meter households have an in-home display (IHD), while another 45% have access to either an online account or app. IHDs are the most common method of checking energy data, but the research suggested that those who also have online or mobile access tend to save more money on their energy bills. That’s because those with multiple methods of monitoring their energy use check their devices more frequently, leading them to make more changes to their behaviour and cut their energy use.

Claire Maugham, director of policy and communications at Smart Energy GB, said: “This research shows that smart meters are bringing real changes to people’s bills for the millions of homes who’ve already had theirs installed — and that we’re using our smart meters to make positive changes to our energy behaviour more and more, the longer we have them.”

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