Smart-meter-enabled thermal efficiency ratings (SMETER): Strategic guide – Net Zero Go
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Smart-meter-enabled thermal efficiency ratings (SMETER): Strategic guide

Aimed at social housing providers, this guide explains the potential for SMETER measurement to help deliver energy efficient homes, in the context of the wider adoption of environmental sensing in social housing.

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Foundation
Guide
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Provided by: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)

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Finding, gathering, and using data Managing data Building decarbonisation and retrofit Domestic retrofit measures Social housing

Net Zero Go says:

This guidance explains how smart-meter-enabled thermal efficiency ratings (SMETER) use smart meter and temperature data to measure a home’s actual heat loss in use. For housing providers, this helps address the gap between modelled and real-world performance, enabling better retrofit targeting, heat pump sizing, performance monitoring, and evidence of resident benefits. The guide highlights how measured data can support warmer homes, lower bills, and improved Net Zero outcomes.

For local authority officers, SMETER offers a practical way to prioritise retrofit investment, identify underperforming homes, improve value for money, and demonstrate the impact of programmes. Case studies from Cambridge City Council and the London Borough of Havering show how measured performance data can strengthen decision-making, quality assurance, and future funding approaches.

Smart-meter-enabled thermal efficiency ratings (SMETER): Strategic guide

SMETER is an umbrella term that is used for technologies that measure the overall thermal performance of buildings while they are occupied.

This guide explains the potential for SMETER measurement to help deliver energy efficient homes, in the context of the wider adoption of environmental sensing in social housing.

The guide is aimed at social housing providers, particularly local and combined authorities and housing associations. It may also be of interest to others, including large commercial domestic landlords and property-linked finance providers.

The guidance is comprised of two documents:

  • An introduction to SMETER and its applications
  • Case studies and evidence base

“The government is committed to working with local government and other partners to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of UK homes, delivering warm, healthy homes and lower bills. To achieve these goals, we need to consistently and cost-effectively deliver the right outcomes for millions of individual homes.”

– DESNZ (2026), SMETER: An introduction to SMETER and its applications

All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated.

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