The integral energy monitoring facilities included in the latest addition to Eaton’s popular Memera range of consumer units offer house builders and designers a convenient, cost-effective way of achieving  property’s sustainability rating under the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Fitted with Eaton’s efergy energy monitors and real-time displays, use of the units can result in a lifetime saving of one tonne of CO2 which is worth valuable points under Category 1 of the Code.

The use of real-time display energy monitors has become well recognised in recent years as an effective way of encouraging behavioural change in energy consumers. However, fitting a suitable stand-alone energy display can be difficult for an unskilled person and, to be truly effective, it is also necessary for the individual to ensure that sustained operation of the energy monitor is maintained by replacing the transmitter batteries at regular intervals.

Eaton’s new Memera consumer units with integrated energy monitoring are designed primarily for use in new installations and for incorporation during major refurbishment work when a new consumer unit is also being fitted. The units feature a wireless energy-monitoring transmitter and sensor pre-installed by Eaton. This means that they should take no longer on site to install than a standard unit and that the inconvenience and potential hazards associated with an unskilled person fitting current sensors around meter tails are also eliminated. In addition, with this arrangement the transmitter is powered internally direct from within the consumer unit, and so no longer requires the use of batteries.
 
As a result, the units can contribute valuable points towards the score in Category 1 “Energy and CO2 emissions” under the Code for Sustainable Homes standards. For example, where the unit displays current electricity usage via an energy display device, it can be worth one credit; if the primary heating is also electricity however, and its energy usage is also displayed, then it can be worth two points.

The transmitter sends information wirelessly to an efergy remote display unit that can be mounted in any convenient location up to 40 metres away from the consumer unit. The display shows not only the amount of energy currently being used, but also the cost of that energy – a feature that has been found to provide a big incentive for homeowners to look for ways to economise.

The efergy energy monitoring system also stores historical data about energy costs, usage and CO2 emissions for up to 24 months. This not only makes it easy for homeowners to evaluate the success of their energy- and money-saving efforts over that period, but also could allow local authorities to check on the patterns and trends of energy use in specific properties.

Part of the well-proven and widely used family of Memera consumer units from Eaton, the new versions with integral efergy energy monitoring are available in both main switch isolator controlled and dual RCCB versions. When correctly installed, the consumer units comply fully with all applicable UK standards, and with the requirements of the 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations.

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