A Green Party idea for lending energy-monitoring "smart meters" through Lewisham’s libraries has proven a hit with library users – and spread across the globe. New figures show almost 200 of the devices have been borrowed for free in the scheme’s first six months.
The scheme has also inspired copycat projects in other areas, with Richmond Borough Council the latest to repeat the idea, and interest shown from Devon to Scotland – and even an Australian regional government has taken up the scheme.
With the monitors shown to save £25 to £75 from a £500 annual electricity bill – according to the Energy Savings Trust – those taking part in Lewisham are estimated to have shared a saving of over £9,000 in fuel costs so far.
Lewisham’s Green Party councillors proposed the idea in their 2008/09 budget proposals. The council approved funding as part of the budget, and it was rolled out last October.
Green Party councillor Ute Michel said: "Because the smart meters are easy to use and convenient and free to borrow, the loan scheme has been a great success, and it’s brilliant that councils from Devon to Australia are copying our idea. Library users love the idea of checking out this money-saving gadget as well as just books, so I am pleased more smart meters are being made available."
"We wanted them to be used in schools as educational tools as well, so I’m delighted to see there are now plans to do so, which will get kids into the habit of thinking about how to use scarce energy resources carefully and save mum and dad money."
The Eco-eye mini smart meters simply clip onto a domestic electricity meter, and a hand-held monitor can be viewed by householders, showing how much power is being consumed at any time. The consumption can be shown in units of energy, in pence or even in CO2 emissions, and allows residents to see which appliances are the biggest energy-guzzlers. Savings result because most residents, armed with the new information, make sensible changes in the way they use energy in the home.
The meters are available in each of Lewisham’s libraries and can be loaned without charge for a 3-week period, similar to the loan of books and other items from library stock. The idea proved so popular that council staff had to double to 70 the number of meters available for loan. Some borrowers found them so useful that they decided to buy a meter at the end of the loan.
Catford, Crofton Park, Lewisham and Forest Hill libraries will get even more meters to lend because of high demand.
Plans are now being developed for the meters to be used with schoolchildren to teach them about energy use, and for Lewisham Homes to lend them to council tenants through housing offices.