Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) – defined as any hardware or software system that can monitor and provide feedback about a home’s energy usage and/or enable advanced control of energy-using systems and devices in a home – are changing how utilities communicate with their customers and help them manage their energy load.

HEMS, and other smart grid technologies, are typically offered to utility customers as part of a demand response program. But increasingly, industry stakeholders are realizing that these technologies can be used to increase residential energy efficiency savings.

HPC works in partnership with the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP), energy efficiency programs, and HEMS manufacturers to identify and expand opportunities for integrating HEMS technologies into residential energy efficiency. HPC and NEEP co-chair a HEMS working group that brings together leaders in the energy efficiency program industry and HEMS manufacturers to increase HEMS adoption. HPC also authors reports and organizes an annual smart home track at the National HPC Home Performance Conference, which brings together experts in the energy efficiency, demand response, and technology sectors.

Over the next year, HPC will be promoting the use of HEMS and other smart grid technologies to better identify leaky homes, support traditional Evaluation, Measurement and Verification (EM&V) with real-time energy performance data, and provide real-time performance feedback to home performance contractors so that contractors are better able to understand the impact of their work.

For more information on this initiative or to join the HEMS working group, please fill out our contact form.