55 homes were fitted with sensors and gateways to become living labs for the energy sector.

Data on domestic energy use is vital. It enables energy companies to design the best and most efficient services for their customers. It also helps households to compare offerings from energy service providers.

Understanding how energy used and managed in homes also requires effective data collection..

Solving the problem

The Energy Systems Catapult fitted a selection of homes in Newcastle with Internet of Things technology to record data on their everyday use of energy.

Data on energy use and management systems of homes is fed back to energy service providers and device vendors.

Energy service providers can access the critical data and devices to design, price and deliver innovative, high value services.

Vendors of connected devices are also able to make their products available to energy service providers, creating a marketplace to establish new services.

The Home Energy Management System supports the industry’s ambitions to address fuel poverty and energy inequalities through the servitisation of home energy provision.

The intention is that by engaging with the living labs, the energy sector will be able to develop products, services, business models and processes that are sustainable, secure, economical and customer-focused.

Key outcomes

The Home Energy Services Gateway technology was installed in 55 residential properties across Newcastle.

Newcastle homes are part of a growing network of over 200 homes across England, Scotland and Wales that are informing market research and studies into domestic energy and decarbonisation trials.

The Living Lab has been upgraded, with a new digital integration platform for data insights. It now enables:

• energy suppliers to trial energy service propositions with mainstream smart home controls;
• products to be installed quickly and easily into homes using the new digital integration platform to ensure interoperability;
• access to a wealth of consumer and technical data, to rapidly design, market-test and launch smart energy innovations;
• behind-the-meter flexibility to be tested;
• testing of the value of new business models with real consumers.

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