Smart metering

The smart meter is key to effective energy management. It is the only tool that can provide accurate consumption data, both to the supplier to alleviate estimated invoicing and to the customer, for precise information about energy usage and further analysis.

UPL has been installing smart meters for our business clients for many years. To date, we have successfully installed more than 15,000 smart meters across the UK. Our experience of both large and small-scale installation projects has given us the ability to offer the most flexible installation service on the market.

Our dedicated team of trained smart metering engineers operates throughout the UK, and our portfolio of clients continues to grow. In 2006 UPL installed what was, at the time, the largest single programme of smart meter installations, for global telecoms giant T-Mobile. More than 6,000 meters were commissioned across the UK, and the whole project was completed by UPL within a nine-month period.

Measuring gas, electricity and water consumption in half-hourly units, the smart meter will enable you to pinpoint your exact utility consumption, allowing you to plan an effective energy reduction programme. Used in conjunction with sophisticated software, this consumption data can be analysed against any form of calculation you require, enabling you to:

• Calculate exact carbon emissions
• Measure sales figures against energy use
• Analyse manufacturing costs
• Monitor seasonal variations
• Report on energy usage both inside and outside of business hours

One of the first cost benefits to smart metering is the ability to receive actual utility invoices, not estimates. This, coupled with the daily data analysis, will enable you to forecast future invoices and improve cash flow: If you know what utility invoices to expect, you can budget accordingly.

Add to this the ability to view exactly where your energy is being used, and it is clear that introducing simple yet effective reduction programmes can deliver actual cost savings very quickly.