In this blog post, Kathryn Swanson, Department for Education Project Manager, explains more about how smart meters could help you better understand and manage energy use in your school or trust. Chances are, if the electricity meter in your school has not been replaced since 2017, then you probably don’t have a smart meter. Managing your electricity can be confusing, so I’m going right back to basics.

What is a smart meter and why should your school consider one?

You’ve probably heard of smart meters; you may have one in your own home. You also probably know that they are replacing traditional analogue gas and electricity meters across Great Britain. Smart meters are one part of an essential infrastructure upgrade that will make our energy system cheaper, greener, and more efficient. Other methods include LED lighting, solar panels, low-carbon boilers, etc. but we will look at them another time.

Installing an electricity smart meter in your school will help to monitor usage in real time, the advantage of this will be no more estimated billing. How you use the data and how frequently it is monitored is up to you, for example monthly, termly, annually.

How to identify if your school has a smart meter

This is not an uncommon question that we and energy suppliers are frequently asked. I think one of the easiest ways to know (though it can vary) is to check if your meter has a digital display; that probably means it’s a smart meter. If your meter has a traditional clock, then it is more likely an old analogue meter. To be absolutely sure, I recommend you contact your current electricity supplier who will be able to tell you.

There is a lot of confusing information out there about types of smart meter, which talks about SMETS (Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specifications), AMRs (Automated Meter Reading devices), profile classes, and the smart meter mandate. This blog post features the short smart meter video below, which includes some quick tips on how to identify what electric meter you have. If you are still unsure, contact your current electricity supplier.

Why you should think about getting a smart meter

Installing a smart meter isn’t going to reduce the unit cost of the electricity your school uses, but it will give you more information and control. A smart meter will remove estimated billing, and this means only paying for the electricity actually used, which should help you to budget and make informed decisions.

If you know how much energy you use and what influences it, you can target and prioritise the best ways to reduce consumption. Many suppliers provide a dashboard that allows you to view usage over specific periods, e.g., over a term, a year, etc. It will let you see peaks and troughs of usage, including how much electricity is being used when your school is empty, and this will help inform how you can become more energy efficient.

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