What is Demand Response?

Demand response is a new way for utility companies and co-ops to deliver power to customers. It has the potential to significantly change the way customers and utilities work together. So what exactly is demand response? Pretty much what it sounds like!

What you need to know about demand response

Demand response is a way for utility companies and co-ops to more efficiently deliver electricity to homeowners, based on how much electricity is in demand at any given time. Peak demand in the home is in the morning, when we’re all getting ready for work and school, and in the evening, when we all come home to fix dinner, do our household chores, watch TV, or have the neighbors over for a visit.

It’s common sense: when we’re at home we demand more electricity from our utility. When we’re not at home, that level of demand drops. We might only have the HVAC system on, and the usual appliances and electronics humming along in the background. Demand response helps utilities balance that peak demand in the morning and evening with the lower demand in the afternoon and late at night, when we’re out of the house or asleep.

How you can take advantage of demand response

Demand response programs may be offered by your utility company or co-op. Check out those inserts in your next utility bill! You may be eligible for real savings every month, just by using your dishwasher and laundry machines in times of lower power demand. Your utility might also offer you “time-based rates” which can be more or less expensive, per kilowatt-hour, based on the time of day and the demand on the utility’s power generation capabilities. Most time-based rates (they’re also called “peak pricing,” “variable pricing,” “real time pricing,” or similar names) follow the basic law of supply and demand. When demand is high, in the morning and evening, prices are a little bit higher. When demand is low, in the afternoons and late at night, prices will be a little bit lower.

Utilities offer demand based rates to encourage you to use your major appliances, like your dishwasher and laundry machines, at the low-demand times of the day. This can be a win-win situation. Your utility wins, because they save wear and tear on their equipment. You win because you save money on your electricity costs by using your major appliances in those lower demand times of the day.

What’s next for demand response?

According to the Department of Energy,

The electric power industry considers demand response programs as an increasingly valuable resource option whose capabilities and potential impacts are expanded by grid modernization efforts. For example, sensors can perceive peak load problems and utilize automatic switching to divert or reduce power in strategic places, removing the chance of overload and the resulting power failure. Advanced metering infrastructure expands the range of time-based rate programs that can be offered to consumers and smart customer systems such as in-home displays or home-area-networks can make it easier for consumers to changes their behavior and reduce peak period consumption from information on their power consumption and costs.

Demand response programs are created and managed by utility companies and co-ops. But homeowners, renters, and landlords who choose to participate in utility programs will find real benefits, including saving money on their electricity bills every month.

HEAT: a revolutionary new home energy assessment tool

Understanding home heating energy performance just got a whole lot easier. The new Heating Energy Assessment Tool (HEAT) from AREVS is a RESNET Approved, easy to use web-based application that tells home energy professionals, homeowners, and renters whether or not a home is in need of energy retrofits or upgrades. Using patented algorithms that are normalized for house size and geographical location, and information from its utility bill, HEAT provides a heating energy audit for a home in under 5 minutes. A simple A+ through F grade range gives instant understanding of home heating performance.

Advantages for Professionals:
• A “first line” assessment tool to determine if a home needs further envelope assessment.
• Can be used for performance-based quality assurance verification for homes that have undergone weatherization upgrades.
• Eliminates need for on-site inspections.
• Offers opportunity for en masse initial ratings.
• Pre-qualified leads sent directly to your sales team.
• Use HEAT as a complement to asset-based rating programs.

Advantages for Homeowners:
• Economical and easy to use.
• Information from a single energy bill results in a custom HEAT Assessment in less than 5 minutes.
• Determine energy consumption and costs for heating, air conditioning and hot water.
• Provides an accurate assessment of whether a home is in need of energy retrofits or upgrades.
• Provides an accurate assessment of whether a home is in need of a further envelope assessment from a certified RESNET professional.
• Verify energy savings achieved through weatherization and energy upgrades.
• Know a home’s PITI+E payment: Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance, and Energy – the true cost of home ownership.

Introducing HEAT: Heating Energy Assessment Tool, Powered by AREVS

Introducing HEAT: Heating Energy Assessment Tool, Powered by AREVS
For Immediate Release
May 29, 2019. Queensbury, NY –

AREVS: American Residential Energy Verification System is proud to announce its newest product, the Heating Energy Assessment Tool (HEAT). HEAT is a web-based software application that yields extremely accurate home heating and cooling energy efficiency ratings, and projects annual heating, cooling, and domestic hot water costs. HEAT can be used with data from one heating season utility bill. No physical inspection of the premises or tools are necessary. This allows both off site and en masse ratings of the national and international housing stock.

HEAT is available for personal and professional use immediately. Please visit http://arevs.us for a free AREVS rating.

HEAT is the ideal first line heating energy assessment app for homeowners and professionals who need to know exact heating and cooling energy consumption and costs,” said Dean Durst, Co-founder and CEO of AREVS. “No other tool is as accurate or easy to use. All you need is one utility bill and 5 minutes to find out how a home is performing, if it needs an asset based energy audit, weatherization upgrades, or retrofit work to improve energy efficiency and lower the home’s operational costs. Understanding a home’s heating energy efficiency just got a whole lot easier!

Rising energy costs and a fast paced residential housing market mean that renters, sellers, buyers, brokers, and lenders need to accurately value home energy consumption costs and efficiency. HEAT is the only performance based home energy efficiency rating software available in the US.

AREVS develops software and data sets for the Home Performance, Real Estate, and Energy industries. Founded in September 2012 by Dean Durst and Jeff Hiscox, AREVS launched the Home Energy Performance Calculator in February 2013. The Calculator is available for professionals as a stand-alone web application. HEAT launched in July 2014 and is available for all customers as a stand-alone web application, a white label web application, or a website plugin.

How will the Green Button Initiative work for you?

What is the Green Button Initiative?

Launched in January 2012, the Green Button Initiative provides utility customers with their home energy usage data, directly from the utility’s website. Just click the green button icon and go.

With this information at their fingertips, consumers would be enabled to make more informed decisions about their energy use and, when coupled with opportunities to take action, empowered to actively manage their energy use. – U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra

Green Button Dowonload My Data
Look for this button on your utility’s website!

How will the Green Button Initiative work for you?

Having your home energy usage data is good. What you can do with it is even better. Data from your utility company about your own energy usage can help you reduce high energy costs. You can see exactly what you’re spending on heating, cooling, and hot water. Understanding your home energy costs is the first step toward using home energy efficiency to reduce those costs. It may be as simple as changing the way you use your home, or you may decide to hire a professional to complete a whole house energy audit.

According to the Department of Energy, which is advising utilities and businesses on data standards and program implementation, only 35 companies currently support the Green Button Initiative. More have pledged to do so, and many others will join the program in the future.