Aligning with its focus on using intelligent innovations to explore and shape the homes of the future, E.ON partnered with Milton Keynes Council and National Energy Foundation last year to install smart home technology in 75 homes in Milton Keynes and the first phase of the innovative trial has been completed successfully.

Titled 'Thinking Energy', the interactive project is gathering insights over a two year period and the conclusions gained will inform E.ON's understanding of how to improve energy management in people's homes. The smart home technology gives households the opportunity to reduce their energy costs, improve their comfort, control their homes better, and even live a more convenient life while reducing their carbon footprint.

Every home taking part in Milton Keynes has received a Home Energy Management System (HEMS), which is easily installed and features technology which measures electricity and gas use in the home from E.ON's smart meters.

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The HEMS also measures individual electrical appliance use through smart plugs, meaning participants can easily monitor and control the energy use of their TV, PC, washing machine or fridge.

Reflecting people's everyday interactions with technology, the HEMS feeds insightful real-time data securely over the internet so households can view their data via a web browser, tablet or smartphone app on the go.

Gone are the days of worrying whether lamps or hair straighteners have been left on - with a couple of clicks they can be checked and turned off if necessary. Not only that, but it is easy to see an itemised view of where energy is used in the home and know how best to bring bills down with minimal investment of time or effort.

Chris Rimmer, Programme Manager for E.ON's Thinking Energy project, said: "We're always striving to help our customers manage their lives and through innovations such as smart home technology, they're able to easily visualise and manage energy use in the home. It's about living with your home instead of just living in it. By taking part in Thinking Energy, people have been able to see how much energy is being used by appliances around the home. In many cases, seeing is believing because the HEMS provides personalised summaries about the cost of daily living.

"We've been really excited about the feedback received. In some cases, participants are becoming educated about how much they are spending on cooking or lighting. One household has even saved hundreds of pounds annually by optimising underfloor heating. On a smaller scale, although still important, others have been surprised at how little a cup of tea costs. As a result, over three-quarters of them have changed the way they use energy in their homes. It's a clear indication that by using innovative technology and putting the power in peoples' hands, people can easily make significant energy and financial savings."

(CD)