Despite 50 million US homes now having a smart meter, about 43% of the total number of households, the expected changes in behaviour and energy savings haven’t quite yet blown anyone away.
This article says smart meters are a foundation block to get us to the next level, but they need to speak a language that the average person can understand, and convey the information in such a way that energy isn’t just an afterthought.
It also suggests making the feedback real-time. If you clearly see on a monitor in your living room that you’re spending X number of dollars per hour right now, and then turn off a few lights and lower the A/C and see that number drop, you get powerful feedback that immediately rewards you and encourages you to pick up good habits. This doesn’t happen when you only get a bill weeks later.
