UK households could be wasting an incredible £1.3 billion by not fully switching off electronic gadgets, according to a report by the Energy Saving Trust*. By helping consumers visualise gas and electricity for the first time, smart meters represent a powerful tool to help reduce energy waste and the government has stated that every household will be upgraded to this technology by the end of 2019.  

Bryan Halliday, British Gas Commercial Director of Smart Homes, explained:

“At British Gas we are working hard to help customers make the switch to smart meters and take control of their household energy.   

 

 

Smart meters replace current meters and record gas and electricity consumption. They come with a handy smart energy monitor to help you see and understand the energy you're using as you use it. Once customers can see how much energy they are using they can take steps to cut their wastage and their bills. 

We're leading the way in delivering these benefits to UK households by ensuring that smart meters are rolled out as soon as possible.”

To help increase understanding of the benefits of smart meters, we held a Question and Answer session on Twitter. On Thursday 28^th June, our Smart Homes expert, Bryan Halliday, answered all of the smart meter questions tweeted using the hashtag #AskBGSmart. 

Here are just some of the questions Bryan was asked and his responses:

@joreason: How will I benefit from a smart meter?

Answer: Smart meters let you see the energy you’re using as you use it to give an indication of what it’s costing you.

@jonnyhornet81: How long does the install take? Can I also have energy efficiency advice or help with Green deal?

Answer: Installs take about 90 mins. Once complete the Smart Energy Expert will advise on how to be more energy efficient.

@tasharabin: Will I save money with a smart meter?

Answer: The control over gas and electricity usage will give you the opportunity to make choices to save money. A traffic light on your smart energy monitor shows how much electricity you’re using. If it’s red, switch something off!

@cwelton: How can I be sure my data is secure?

Answer: Smart meters have robust security features that protect customer data at all times including advanced encryption.

@BearGWills: Can I access a smart meter remotely using my iPhone, and will it allow me to control appliances?

Answer: You can’t control your smart meter via a smart phone but you can access your account information via our app. You can’t control appliances via smart meters but you can see energy you’re using in £&p via a smart energy monitor.

Thank you to everyone who took part in our #AskBGSmart Twitter party. For further information about smart meters, click here.

 

*The Energy Saving Trust report can be read here