Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS)

2010 US Consumer Survey Results

Survey

Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) encompass the use of in-home technology (often aided by software located at a utility or service provider’s head-end operations center) to enable consumers to better monitor and manage in-home energy consumption. When this functionality is offered by a utility to its customers, the systems are typically known as "home area networks" (HANs) and usually form part of the utility’s smart meter deployment. The HEMS market is at a very early stage of development and there are many pressing questions about consumer preferences and activities with respect to in-home energy management. Such questions include: how do consumers prefer to receive HEMS functionality? How do consumers prefer to interact with HEMS? What benefits are consumers seeking from in-home energy management? How are current HEMS configured in actual deployments and how do consumers believe this should evolve in the future? How much money (as a %) are consumers saving on their monthly utility bills as a result of HEMS deployments?

This presentation offers consumer survey results and accompanying analysis of ABI Research’s 2010 US Consumer Survey, with respect to consumer attitudes and activities in the area of HEMS. An online survey methodology was used, with the survey conducted September 8-10, 2009 and completed by 1,000 consumers in the United States. Survey participants were adults of at least 18 years of age and were either the sole decision maker or shared decision making for energy services for their home.

Table of Contents

  • Methodology
  • Summary: Energy Management System Awareness & Usage
  • EMS Usage
  • Satisfaction with EMS
  • Primary Concern Regarding EMS
  • Length of EMS Ownership
  • Primary Benefit of EMS
  • Monthly Electric Bill Savings From EMS
  • Methods of Viewing Electricity Consumption from EMS
  • Equipment Connected to EMS
  • Summary: Interest in Energy Management Systems
  • Familiarity with EMS
  • Interest in EMS
  • Primary Concern Regarding EMS (among those interested)
  • Preferred Method of Obtaining EMS
  • Primary Reason Interested in EMS
  • Expected Monthly Savings on Electrical Bill from EMS
  • Preferred Method of Viewing Electricity Consumption from EMS
  • Timeframe to Install EMS
  • Equipment Most Likely to Connect to EMS
  • Demographics
  • Age
  • Role in Decision Making for Energy/Security Services
  • Gender
  • Home Ownership
  • Marital Status
  • People in Household
  • Education
  • Income
  • Ethnicity

Charts

  1. EMS in Home
  2. Satisfaction With EMS
  3. Primary Concern Regarding EMS
  4. Possession of EMS
  5. Primary Benefit of EMS
  6. Monthly Savings on Electric Bill due to EMS
  7. Viewing of Electricity Consumption From EMS
  8. Equipment Connected to EMS
  9. Familiarity with EMS
  10. Interest in EMS
  11. Primary Concern Regarding EMS
  12. Preferred Method of Obtaining EMS
  13. Primary Reason for Interest in EMS
  14. Expected Monthly Savings on Electrical Bill Due to EMS
  15. Preferred Method of Viewing Electricity Consumption From EMS
  16. Timeframe to Install EMS
  17. Equipment Most Likely to Connect to EMS
  18. Age
  19. Role in Decision Making for Energy/Security Services
  20. Gender
  21. Rent or Own Home
  22. Marital Status
  23. People in Household
  24. Education
  25. Income
  26. Ethnicity