The application of smartphone technology to economic and environmental analysis of building energy conservation strategies

TLDR

The study examines how smartphone technology can be used to implement building energy audit programmes that boost uptake of energy‑conservation measures and deliver environmental and economic gains. The smartphone audit platform offers quasi‑real‑time analysis, continuous user engagement, geospatial customization, additional and ranked ECM options, user education, and continuous evolution. In a case study of 157,000 Ontario homes, the smartphone‑based audit reduced the time to audit all dwellings from an estimated 55 years to a much shorter period while increasing cumulative CO₂ savings, indicating substantial economic and environmental benefits.

Abstract

This paper investigates the use of smartphone technology as a tool to implement building energy audit programmes to increase energy conservation measure (ECM) uptake and concomitant environmental and economic benefits. The smartphone audit analysed provides an energy audit platform with: (i) quasi-real time analysis, (ii) continuous user engagement, (iii) geospatial customization, (iv) additional ECMs, (v) ECM ranking and user education, and (vi) the ability to constantly evolve. A case study of 157,000 homes in Southeastern Ontario shows that 55 years is needed to complete energy audits for all dwellings in the region following a traditional energy audit model. However, the results of the smartphone-based audit programme accelerates this in both terms of audits completed and cumulative carbon dioxide savings over a sensitivity range of audit effectiveness. It is concluded that an advanced and expanded home energy auditing programme that uses smartphone technology could provide significant economic and environmental benefits.