Cash-strapped UK households can lessen the impact of increasing energy bills with a new app that allows users to save energy in the home more easily and quickly than ever before.
Developed by Harrogate-based pioneers in smart energy technology, Chameleon Technology, the free ivie app gives users total control over their home energy by using smart meter energy data to give a personal and smart saving experience. Users see their energy usage broken down by their everyday activities allowing them to pinpoint which areas of the home use the most energy. The app also shows live energy data when connected to an ivie Bud in-home display, helping households to make instant, smart energy-saving decisions that will reduce costs, energy and carbon.
With energy prices and the cost of living at an all-time high, the ivie app will be a helpful tool for households looking to save energy and reduce their bill further.
The ivie app is designed to help households understand their energy usage, which is crucial to saving energy in the home and reducing bills. This is made possible with energy usage breakdowns revealing which habits and activities, such as heating, laundry or lighting are using the most energy, with a clear direction of what savings can be made in each area.
Personalised energy-saving tips and challenges based on a user’s energy usage are generated by the app, helping to save even more on escalating bills. Households can also participate in a rewards point system for their energy savings which can be exchanged for prizes, weekly raffles and deals, providing a greater incentive to be more energy conscious around the home.
Mike Woodhall, founder and CEO of Chameleon Technology, creators of the personal energy-saving platform, commented: “Understanding energy usage and how to reduce it is a difficult task for most people. With energy bills now reaching extreme levels, it is essential to improve our understanding of how we use energy in the home. The ivie app and ivie Bud were created for this exact reason: to make managing energy simpler, smarter and more personal. Accurate, real-time energy data is crucial for achieving this. With live data, people can make smart energy-saving decisions on the spot that bring genuine change to how they use energy.
“Home energy management technology, like the ivie app, makes saving energy and reducing bills simpler and more personal. There are currently hundreds of energy-saving tips out there but not all of them are accessible or applicable to a household’s needs or resources. ivie generates insights based on actual energy usage rather than making generic tips based on a typical UK household’s consumption. It is the personal and simple approach that will transform the way users engage with energy.”
Connecting the ivie Bud in-home display to the ivie app allows users to see their live energy data on the go. By being informed in real time, users can instantly compare and adjust how and when energy is used, which could bring even greater energy and cash savings. With both energy usage breakdowns and the added option of live data, households get a clearer understanding of how they use energy in the home.
Mike added: “Whilst the Prime Minister’s introduction of the Energy Price Guarantee offers some relief compared to what was facing UK households, average energy bills are still set to be around £2,500 which, against the backdrop of the rising cost of living is bound to create great financial hardship for many, especially vulnerable customers. There remains a clear need to find ways to help save money at home. Reducing energy consumption by understanding how much energy is used and potentially wasted at home is crucial in this process.”
As well as helping people to see where savings can be made on bills, the ivie app encourages people to consider their carbon impact too. The app estimates the total carbon savings a user has made while using the app. As behaviour changes and more energy-saving challenges are taken on, users can see their carbon savings multiply. The app also estimates the combined impact of all users’ carbon savings.
Mike continued: “We all have a role to play in reducing our carbon emissions and the impact our actions have on climate change. While consumers are rightly focused on reducing their energy bills this winter, our feedback is that they are also keen to reduce their carbon impact. The ivie app measures the carbon emission savings you make when you start changing your behaviour and using less energy. We’re really excited to help people to play their part in making carbon emission reductions and go on their own personal journey to Net Zero.”
