The easy answer is  NO. Expecting AMR to automatically save money is like asking ‘will buying some running shoes help me be a marathon runner’. Having the tools is only the start.

AMR and Smart Metering will open up a world of information for companies to grasp on and save energy, but unless they know what to do with it or know what to look for it is just data. In fact assuming that ‘more’ information is better than what you already have is also a red herring.  More information is only good so long as it offers detail that enables actions you could not have envisaged before, otherwise it is just sub sets of what you already know.

Too often we meet companines in a state of data paralasis who monitor everything but don’t really know what it means or what to do.

If you are considering AMR or Smart Metering feel free to call GAIA for help. We don’t sell these devises – we help companies save money by using them effectively. Call us on 024 76 23 6446.

GAIA May 2010

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With many large businesses frantically installing AMR devices to secure early advantage credits for the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC Energy Efficiency) there’s much talk of AMR but also smart meters. Often these names are either overlapped or confused. So whats the difference?

AMR stands for Automated Meter Reader and essentially provides Half Hourly data to meter points whereby Half Hourly data is not yet available. These can be Gas, Water  or (Non Half Hourly) NHH Electricity Meters. Note: By installing AMR to NHH Electricity meters provides Half Hourly data but does not mean you become a half hourly customer.

Smart Meters provide information beyond AMR.  Generally Smart Meters are a domestic product aimed at educating the home owner of how much energy they have used, what the cost has been and where they can save.

AMR devices for businesses are often then connected to Monitoring and Targeting systems, GAIA offers one of these alongside our Training Programmes. These systems can then educate and inform the use on energy usages within their businesses.

GAIA

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For people who have conducted both an (EPC) Energy Performance Certificate and is Display Energy Certificate (DEC) they may discover that the Energy Ratings may differ. The EPC is a survey of the building in terms of efficiency but the DEC is a benchmark of your total energy usage within your property.

The reason for the difference is how we use our energy. Many of the best EPC rated sites have poor DECs as they use energy poorly within them. In other words the building is in good shape but the behaviours inside towards using energy are poor.

GAIA Comment

The only way to ensure strong energy efficiency is to recognise that staff behaviour and education are crucial to your programme. Call GAIA today to find out how we can help you achieve your energy saving goals.

Click here to learn more.

GAIA April 2010

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Maybe is the answer to this. Installing AMR will help companies gain Early Adoption Credits in the CRC but only if everyone else doesn’t do the same. If all install AMR then the advantage is negated if your comparators also do it, so the only way to beat the competition is to act on the data.

GAIA Comment – How to be ahead of others

If you are thinking of installing AMR then you must think clearly about what the data can show you and how it can help you save. The best way to do this is prioritising based on the variability of energy per site. For example, what energy usage potential there is to save on the site and are the staff eager to support you on the chosen sites etc…

Need help deciding call GAIA on 024 7623 6446.

GAIA March 2010

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One of the great red herrings in Energy Efficiency is that more meters provide more information. More meters will obviously provide more data, but if the data adds little to your current activities then the expenditure is unnecessary.

GAIA often meet businesses who have understandably fallen into this trap. They proudly show us their Energy Monitoring System but when questioned can’t really interpret what it is saying or more importantly make sensible actions from it.

It seems anyone can easily fall into a ‘data overload’ whereby you can see everything but action little.

Here’s our 5 top tips on Sub Metering.

• If legislation requires you to have sub metering or even smart metering consider first what is necessary to comply first.
• With legal compliance out of the way then consider for each site or area what is the ‘variable’ energy consumption is each area. Variable energy is consumption you can have influence over managing. Then rank each site by this criteria. Consider both the machinery and human matters when ranking these.
• Think actions not data. e.g: What can this tell me if I meter it?  You don’t want a new job analysing data feeds that will not help you make change.
• Remember the key route to sustainable Energy Saving is staff behaviour and education. Will your sub metering data help you do this?
• Clarify and Re-Clarify  your Goal at the start with your Senior Colleagues. Are you doing this to save money,  meet legislative requirements, help the business expand or demonstrate a competitive edge over competitors. Which ever you choose will have a significant impact on the investment you undertake and will avoid time wasting.

GAIA February 2010

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Thank You to Pilot Systems  for their invitation to talk to their customers on Smart Metering and Energy Efficiency.

For those customers keen to have a copy of the presentation you can find it here. (Click Link Below)

Smart Metering & Energy Efficiency – NEC  Talk

Talk Summary

With 2009 proving to be a challenging year for businesses, cost management is now top of the agenda in many UK boardrooms. The higher energy costs largely absorbed until now are beginning to bite into company profits driving businesses to adopt energy efficiency measures with haste. This talk will covers the reasons why smart metering can make a difference in saving energy and why every business needs to obtain independent energy data.

GAIA (Article by Haydn)

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The Government has contacted 20,000 organisations over the last 4/8 weeks telling them about the UKs new internal emissions trading scheme called the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). The scheme, to be fully operational by 2013, has a rapid timeline for those businessess involved with the initial qualification packs being distributed during September 2009.

For those who qualify, the CRC brings significant opportunities to improve thier bottom line. For those that don’t comply in this phase, they can still profit by getting ahead start on their competitors.

Click here to view the CRC Timeline

To find out how the CRC could impact on your business call GAIA on 02476 236446 or email us at enquiry@gaiaactive.com.

Posted in GAIA, Smart Metering and Monitoring | 2 Comments »

So did the Smart Metering legislation get a nudge forward by a Peer of the Realm with cash in the back pocket?

And who will really benefit?

Well the recently announced Smart Meter legislation requires all UK companies to have a new shiny smart meter by 2014. Naturally the meter manufacturer’s will be more than keen to have this enshrined in law to essentially create  ‘a market’ for the next 5 years, but so will the energy companies be more than keen.

In the UK energy market the energy companies feel they own the ‘customer space’ and will be ever keen to sell new meters with nice rental plans for a market uncertain as to what they are really buying into or whether the end result will really help them (the customer!) save money.

The energy market is far from free in the UK and the ever merging energy segments from production, distribution,metering,retail etc are  driving this ‘free’ market backwards.

GAIA supports UK initiatives to encourage better energy efficiency after all it is a win-win for consumers and the environment. The new legislation is a positive step but like most positive steps it requires some thought about how it can be achieved.  Should we expect businesses whom prime practise is to ’sell energy’ to lead our energy efficiency activities?

Source: Times Online January 25th

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New legislation to encourage Energy Efficiency will be launched later this year on April 6th. The legislation relates to all all profile class type meters from 5-8 (Electricity) or Gas Meter consuming over (732,000kwh) requiring them upgrading by 2014 to new smart meters. This new legislation will affect 170,000 electricity meters and 40,000 Gas Meters.

Essentially the aim is to get more half hourly data to consumers so they can make informed actions about saving energy. If you are a customer of one of these meters give GAIA a call and we can explain the options to you. Need help call us on 02476 236446.

The short hand version is either you buy your own Meters, but you will need to sign up to data reading contracts or use the suppliers version, but make sure they allow free independent data access to the meter. After all you have the legal right to the data they’re not doing you any favours. Remember the suppliers will be benefiting in your meter as much as you as they won’t need to send a meter reading agent anymore. Furthermore in a free energy market you must avoid being tied into ‘extra’ supplier contracts beyond procurement.

Need help call us on 02476 236446.

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