SERL researchers Jessica Few and Tadj Oreszczyn’s article in The Conversation looks at how turning down the thermostat could save energy and money.
Published on 2nd December and entitled “Energy bills: how much money does turning down the thermostat actually save?” the article shows how data collected by the Smart Energy Research Lab (SERL) can be used to inform practical measures for saving consumers money and reducing the UK’s energy demand.
The team looked at smart meter data gathered in 2021 together with SERL participant information about winter thermostat settings. They then calculated how much energy costs would be for these homes based on the current price cap. They found that ‘for each 1℃ decrease in thermostat temperature between 22℃ and 18℃, an average home used around £130 less energy’.
The findings are observational and don’t necessarily show that every house would have these results from adjusting their thermostats. There are many variables, for example the make-up of the property, the way people heat their homes, and the weather. It’s also important to remember that letting the temperature drop below 18°C can be bad for your health – especially if you are vulnerable.
However, the findings do suggest that reducing the thermostat a small amount could lead to a reduction in costs and energy use. It is also significant that these results come from real household energy data – collected by SERL – rather than from estimates derived from energy modelling which is how this type of calculations would often be made.
Read the full article on The Conversation site