The document summarizes a smart water meter trial conducted in Perth, Australia that tested how real-time water use monitoring and online feedback could be integrated into an existing water conservation program. Nine households participated by having smart meters installed that collected water usage data and sent it to an online dashboard. While engagement with the dashboard was lower than expected, most households reduced their water usage. Feedback from participants was initially positive about using the dashboard to monitor and compete around water usage. Lessons learned include better understanding meter limitations, carefully designing visual data displays and analysis, integrating smart meter data into eco-coaching, and fully combining smart metering with community-based social marketing programs.

1. SMART METER TRIAL
Residential Water Efficiency
Dr Martin Anda
Principal Engineer Sustainability, ENV Australia Pty Ltd
Chair Environmental Engineering, Murdoch University
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2. Outline
• H2omeSmart Program
• The Smart Meter Trial
– Implementation
– Participating households
– Engagement Strategies
– Data Analysis
– Participant feedback
– Future Lessons
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3. Perth H2omeSmart
Aim: 12% water use reduction in 10,000 households
Methods:
– Target 18 high use suburbs
– Database 33,000 O/Os
– Apply CBSM techniques
– July 2011 – Aug 2012
– Invitation to participate, media
– Meter reading, feedback letters, eco-coaching
– Waterwise fixtures retrofit for pensioners
Outcomes: Projected savings 10% by 10,949 households.

4. CBSM methods

5. CBSM methods
Typically, 4-6 rounds over 6-12 months

6. CBSM 1: Research
1. Focus groups, surveys, interviews, etc.
2. Identify the barriers to change!
3. Create the correct messages!
4. Design the locally relevant strategies!

7. CBSM 2: Recruitment

8. CBSM 3: Reading your meter

9. CBSM 4: Data Analysis

10. CBSM 5: Feedback Letter
Total savings by H2ome
Smart households
How use
compares
to others
Raw data &
water use Agreed
calculations actions

11. CBSM 6: Eco-coaching

12. Prizes, newsletter, media promotions
Before
After

13. Start again: Read meter

14. Benefits of Smart Metering
Utility
• Eliminate manual meter reads
• Ability to bill more frequently
• Integrate asset management, customer
account & billing systems in one database.
Customer
• Identification of leaks
• Improved customer service experience
• Water consumption more tangible
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15. Smart or Advanced Metering
Infrastructure (SMI or AMI)
All of the hardware, software and
connectivity required for a fully functional
smart metering system.
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16. The Water Meter
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17. Smart Water Meters
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18. Wireless Smart Water Meters
• No cabling from meter back to switchboard.
• Reduces installation costs
• (No trenches or fixed wiring).
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19. Value in CBSM BCPs
• Actions can be directly linked to their
consumption
• Flexibility in level of engagement
• Eco-coaching can be personalized and
targeted
• In-house display provides real-time data
WATER SAVINGS!
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20. The H20me Smart Trial
1. Test how real-time water use
monitoring and online feedback
could be integrated into the Perth
BCP.
2. Test the use of real-time comparative/
normative feedback.
3. Greensense was the industry partner.
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21. Implementation - Technology
Greensense Platform is a ‘multi-utility’ service.
Greensense Process three parts;
1. Collection of data
2. Processing in real time
3. Present data on GreensenseView dashboard
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22. Implementation - Data Collection
• Pulse head & data
logger installed onto
water meter at house.
• Logger notes a pulse
every 1L or 5L used.
• Sends data through
mobile 3G network
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23. Implementation - Greensense View
• Launch Smart Meter Challenge dashboard
• Extract water consumption & # occupants data in number of formats.
• Compare water consumption between weeks through a weekly profile
• 5-minute interval profiles that showed specific end-uses to be identified
(e.g. distinguishing toilet flush from shower from garden irrigation)
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24. Implementation - Quintile module

25. Implementation - Heatmap Report

26. Implementation- Online Dashboard
Water use in
real time
Daily weather/ Waterwise tips Competition between
quintiles households
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27. Participating Households
• Selection criteria,
• Selected participants offered meters.
• 9 households accepted the offer
• Pulse head and data logger also installed at Josh
Byrne family home, ABC TV’s Gardening Australia.
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28. Results: Engagement
Engagement with dashboard lower than expected;
• Letter & info packs sent as physical reminder of
smart meter challenge (Round 4).
• Phone calls to prompt dashboard use (Rounds 4
and 5).
• Letter insert in response to participants
forgetting log-in details/or not logged on to their
dashboards (Round 5).
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29. Results: Data Analysis
• Heat Maps - help identify anomalies &
patterns of water use.
• Weekly Profile Comparison Reports -
water use averages & maximums
tabulated & graphed for 2 periods of
time.
• Nature of this program means water
reduction cannot be solely attributable to
real-time data through online dashboard.
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30. Results - Water Savings
Most households made a water savings!
Note: Season effect on consumption - large decrease in consumption
coincides with winter & not direct result of smart meter installation.
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31. Participant Feedback
Initial feedback encouraging:
“We have been using the dashboard for just over a week now and
have been checking the dashboard on a daily basis. Seeing how
we compare to other households is very motivating. When we first
logged in we were above the average now we are below and trying
to get lower - I don't know how they can use so little water - if you
have some insights please pass it on!.
My partner has become very competitive about what we are calling
the "Shower Peaks" on the graph; he is trying to use less water
than me for each shower. When we first started I used considerably
less water than him for showers now we are about even. So I think
this Greensense meter has really helped him monitor his water
usage because where I always think about my water usage he
never did so it really has improved his water usage.”
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32. Lessons for the future
• Understanding meter limitations
• Visual display of real-time data
& analysis for households must
be used carefully.
• Effort required for successful
engagement
• Carefully integrate the
dashboard & data into eco-
coaching
• Future programs can fully
integrate smart metering with a
CBSM BCP
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33. THANK YOU
ANY QUESTIONS?
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