Energy Saving at Home? There's an 'App' for that.
With the Government promising a smart meter for every home in the UK by 2020, monitoring and therefore, being able to reduce our energy consumption, is going to become a key area in the fight against climate change.
Now whilst I think that monitoring the energy I use at home is a great idea, like you - I'm sure we're already doing everything possible? We don't leave lights on or TV's when no-one's in the room etc.
Just because my energy monitor tells me I'm using too much electricity, am I really going to turn the fridge off one hour in five etc?
The key to such initiatives is knowing what power you already consume - How much does leaving a computer on standby cost you in electricity over a year?
With Christmas literally around the corner, If you've already got (or are lucky enough to get) an iPhone or iTouch, there's a range of smart applications that will help you work out just that and more. Here's a short rundown of 3 we came across recently:
Kill-o-watts - Choose your electrical appliance from a list of over 120 everyday appliances or create your own appliance. Then enter the amount of hours that appliance is regularly used and this 'app' calculates how much energy that uses. You can even use it when buying new appliances as it will calculate which products consume less energy.
Greenmeter - This clever 'app' helps you reduce your fuel consumption as well as the impact your driving has on the environment. Using the iPhone's / iTouch's accelerator, data is analysed to calculate your car's fuel usage and consumption etc. It doesn't need GPS to function.
MeterRead - Monitor your energy consumption in the home by tracking your meter readings, this clever 'app' predicts the amount of energy you're likely to consume in the coming month, helping you cut your energy bills.
Remember to check compatibility with your device before purchase. All the above 'apps' can be purchased directly from the iTunes App Store.
photo credit: ollie crafoord
Cute. :)
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