Digitalised heat metering reduces costs by 60% at new Mitcham development
7th January 2021Press release
KURVE, the UK’s first digital pay-as-you-go (PAYG) web-app for heat networks developed by Insite Energy and SAV Systems, has delivered significant savings on the capital cost of energy metering at Greenside Views, a newly completed development made up of one, two and three-bedroom flats in Mitcham, Southwest London. Greenside Views is the first KURVE site to go live, following its announcement last year.
The managing agent, Lotus Trident, was presented with three PAYG options: KURVE and two in-home display-dependent solutions. KURVE achieved an average saving, covering installation and hardware, of 60% or £33,000 compared to the alternatives and was chosen as the preferred solution for the 89-unit development.
KURVE is designed to make smart metering more accessible for heat network users, to reduce costs and improve their access to consumption data. The cost of installation and hardware is a major barrier discouraging the up-take of PAYG smart meters by housing providers operating heat networks, even though individual heat meters are now a legal requirement in most instances.
“The savings are genuinely impressive. There is no trade-off with taking the more affordable option as one might normally expect,” said Arjun Shah of Lotus Trident. “Not having to fit hard-wired in-home displays is a huge advantage and we’re getting a great level of energy data. The real value to residents lies in the fact they can easily access their energy usage data and manage their account anywhere, from any internet device. It’s transparent, straightforward, and convenient. In the first few weeks since KURVE was implemented, I’m pleased to say it has gone very smoothly with no issues.”
“When we talk about the potential savings KURVE offers, people want to see operational evidence,” commented Ellie Blacklock, KURVE Project Manager at Insite Energy. “It’s therefore great to now see sites, owned and managed by housing associations and local authorities, as well as private developers and landlords, going live and reaping the benefits of KURVE.”
Insite Energy and SAV Systems’ clients and stakeholders from across the UK heat network market had repeatedly called for a low-cost PAYG product that does not compromise on service, quality, or convenience to the end-user, and at the same time can help eradicate energy debt risk for housing providers without the need to make large investments in metering hardware.