The Installation Process Of A Business Smart Meter

As an energy customer you will find you will be asked for meter readings at several different points. Firstly, when you join a new energy supplier or move into a new premises, your energy supplier will ask for initial meter readings which will provide them with a starting point of which to estimate your bills. Over the course of a contract your energy supplier will ask again for several meter readings to ensure your bills are still accurate and up to date according to your usage. Over the past year, you may have heard more and more industry experts suggesting to submit meter readings on a regular basis. This has been suggested as a good way to keep your bills as accurate as possible and to ensure you are not paying for me than you use.  In this blog we will explain how meter readings work and the importance of them, specifically for business energy customers.    What do meter readings mean?  Meter readings are simply a way for your electricity and gas supplier to establish your energy usage. Meter readings are therefore an important element that makes up your energy bills, alongside current energy rates.  The figures supplied by your meters will change as you access electricity or gas within your building. So, when you use your lights, turn on your computers, switch on the heating or use appliances, your meter will advance as electricity or gas flows through. Electricity meters will show your usage in kilowatt-hours and will use a form of numerical display to show your current usage amount.  Each dial has ten numbers (0 – 9) and a pointer like a clock hand. The pointers advance when electricity flows through the meter, so the dials indicate the total number of kilowatt-hours (KWH) you have used. To determine your correct meter reading, simply read the dials in order from right to left.   How meter readings will affect your energy bills  Since your meter can determine when energy is being used, your meter readings will indicate how much has been used over a period of time. As you submit meter readings to your energy supplier, your bills will be adjusted accordingly. The more regular readings you take and supply your supplier, the easier it will be for them to charge you the most accurate amount for your business energy usage.   How to submit a meter reading for your business  At D-ENERGi we make it easy for you to submit your business meter readings online. Our meter reading form can be accessed via our website and allows you to input the details of your latest reading without delay. All we need is a few details including your business energy account number, the date of your reading, and account holder’s name.   Business smart meters  To make taking your meter readings as simple as possible, business energy customers and domestic energy customers are switching to smart meters. As part of the smart meter roll out suppliers are now encouraging energy customers to make the switch from a traditional energy meter to a smart meter.  Smart meters are capable of supplying meter readings automatically to suppliers, so you don’t have to. Plus, with the option for a Consumer Access Device, you will be able to see your energy consumption in real time. Displaying just how much energy various devices and appliances around your business use when in operation.  For more about the business smart meter roll out, click here or get in touch with our friendly team.

Just about everything is becoming smart. From home devices to TVs, doorbells, and even vacuum cleaners. With the technology available to make any typical domestic and commercial appliance ‘smart’, even the tools we use to control heat and lighting have become smart. Now we are seeing the rise of smart lighting, both in homes and in businesses. With the use of smart light bulbs. But what benefits do they provide and are they really the smartest option when it comes to saving you money?   How to utilise smart lighting in workplaces  In order to get the most out of smart lighting, it’s a good idea to think about how best to apply this to your business. But first, consider how exactly does smart lighting work? And what makes it different to traditional bulbs like LEDs?  Smart bulbs are actually a variation of an LED bulb. They are simply internet-connected. Making them a much more customisable lighting option. Smart bulbs can be accessed both manually but also by mobile devices via brand applications. These apps allow users to customise their lighting usage down to very specific requirements, such as the colour of the bulb, brightness, timing of the light being on or off. With accessibility via an app, this also means that lighting throughout the building, wherever it may be, can be controlled off-site.   The benefits of smart lighting for business For businesses the option to switch bulbs to smart bulbs provides a number of benefits.  From gaining even greater control over the usage of lighting, to controlling the intensity of lighting and creating the perfect working environment.  For businesses looking to cut back on their energy consumption, smart bulbs allow time scheduling and the ability to control lighting from outside the room. So, on one of those days where you’re rushing to get home from work and forget to switch off the lights, you can simply access the bulb via the mobile app and turn off the lights, from home, the supermarket, the kids’ school or just outside the building. Plus, being able to schedule your lighting use means when the lights don’t need to be on or very bright, you can control this, helping to minimise energy waste and cut back your business energy costs.  What’s more, with this added control you can create a working environment that is comfortable but encourages productivity for your employees. Many studies into the working environment and how lighting can impact a person’s productivity levels have been conducted. With results highlighting that lighting that matches the typical movement of the sun throughout the day, from brightness to positioning, has a positive effect on a person’s ability to focus. With many employees found to struggle when working in very brightly lit environments.    Factors to consider when going smart As with all IoT products, smart bulbs do come with some concerns. Particularly if you consider the security of these technologies. While we continue to see developments within the security of new IoT devices, it is vital that you pay attention to the vulnerabilities of your chosen smart lighting solution. Considering how it may put your business at risk of attacks. Some good ways to avoid putting your business at risk are to do your research and to keep your smart bulbs and other smart devices connected to a separate network that would not allow access to any of your business’ financial and sensitive data.  Switching to smart LED light bulbs isn’t essential but in conclusion it can certainly offer your business some benefits and give you greater control over your energy usage. Meanwhile, for those who are yet to be convinced by smart devices, simply switching traditional bulbs to standard LED bulbs is an excellent way to improve the energy efficiency of your business and cut your energy costs.  For more smart devices, why not consider a business smart meter? Monitor your energy consumption, spending and more in a simple and easy-to-use way. For more energy saving tips and advice on how to improve the energy efficiency of your business premises, check out more of our D-ENERGi blogs.