Historic data visualisation
The homeowner is presented with historical energy data, typically in the form of home energy reports (HER) or online historical visualization tools. While this information can raise homeowner’s awareness of their past energy use, it doesn’t provide many opportunities for learning how to save power. At best, they might be able to get a 2 percent energy savings.
Real-time energy monitoring
Products can receive this real-time data stream from different devices, such as AMI meters and a current transformer (CT) clamps (the two major sources). Getting an instant look at their live energy use allows them to see exactly how much energy they are using and subsequently turn devices on or off. This is where home energy management moves from providing passive energy data that could only produce reactive change, to informing consumers on their live energy use as it happens.
Real-time+ Connected Devices
This is a true home energy management – bridging the gap between being able to see real-time energy consumption and control the devices using it. While management is still dependent upon the consumer, they gain the ability to manage their home and energy from anywhere, remotely. This is made possible through an array of connected devices in the home using protocols such as Z-Wave, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi. With device control, users can easily command everything from connected thermostats, bulbs, door locks, and even Jacuzzis.
Insight Assisted Change
One form of insight-assisted-change is appliance health monitoring. This is where the platform can monitor the performance characteristics of appliances (learned from real-time energy stream + connected devices). This can then be used to alert consumers when certain thresholds are breached.
Autonomous Home Optimization
Using real-time energy, connected devices, and knowledge of performance heuristics from the home and appliances, an autonomous home energy management platform coordinates a personalized and automatic optimization engine for the home. Balancing comfort and energy efficiency, learning patterns and understanding specific situations and occupancy – the home will take everything into consideration without the consumer having to lift a finger. The temperature will be adjusted automatically. Lights will turn on and off or dim depending on the context. Coffee will be ready when waking up in the morning, and high-consuming appliances will only operate at off-peak times.
While having above-mentioned functions will make your life easier and more comfortable, the real benefit of smart home climate control subsystem is its ability to monitor your energy consumption. Such monitoring system will allow you to not only see final energy consumption graph, but understand how you spent that energy. This, in turn, will give you the opportunity to address specific areas of energy over-consumption, instead of simply shutting all lights out or electrical devices down. It is important to know that while some systems will monitor individual appliances, for example, other can keep an eye on your entire house and all electrical devices. If you need more information on how you can save with smart home energy management systems, please contact Litbrix sales or technical teams and they will be happy to answer all you questions.