5 Ways to Reduce Your Power Bill by Using the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things has the potential to drive efficiency and cost savings across industries and businesses of all sizes. The IoT has the power to drive a more automated, connected world that reduces costs, increases productivity, and creates new revenue streams. All of this translates into lower your power bill. The IoT is made up of end devices that are either sensors or have the ability to detect their surroundings. These devices have the ability to collect data, connect to the cloud and perform a specific task based on pre-set rules. The IoT has transformed every industry and business by connecting everyday objects with software, sensors, and networking capabilities so they can send and receive data in order to monitor or adjust natural variables like light levels, temperature, humidity, or CO2 levels.

What is IoT?

Use the Internet of Things to reduce your electricity consumption

The Internet of Things is already responsible for saving businesses more than $800 million in annual energy costs. By implementing more efficient technologies and measuring your electricity consumption levels, you can measure how many watts are being used in each area of your business. If you use sensors to track your electricity consumption, you can set limits and alerts to inform you when costs are getting too high. This data can be used to see which areas of your business consume the most electricity, allowing you to make informed decisions on where you can invest in energy-efficient technologies. For example, if the sensors in your office are showing that certain areas are using more energy than others, you can replace those inefficient light bulbs with LED bulbs, or put sensors in high-traffic areas to see if there are any issues with the wiring.

Implement more efficient technologies

Smart technologies allow you to remotely adjust your home’s temperature without ever having to step foot inside. Smart plugs have the ability to track your energy usage, allowing you to see how many watts are being consumed. You can also use this data to see when your appliances are being used, how long they’ve been running, and the hours when they’re not needed. This information can be used to create schedules and safeguards that will automatically pause or turn off your appliances when they’re not being used. For example, if the sensors in your office are showing that a particular printer is being used for 12 hours straight, you can change the schedule to only print during specific hours. This type of automation can be applied to any device or appliance in your home, helping to reduce your energy consumption.

Use data to drive efficiency

Data is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal when it comes to driving efficiency. This data can be used to track your employees’ productivity and see which tasks are taking the longest to complete. You can also use this data to assess which areas require more attention. For example, if you have a team in charge of uploading documents to the cloud, they are responsible for tracking the number of documents being uploaded, the time it takes to upload each document, and any errors that occur during the upload process. This data can be used to see if any trends emerge. Are some documents always taking longer to upload? Are there recurring issues with uploading documents? This data can be used by your team to adjust their daily schedules and workloads to ensure that no task is taking longer than it should. It can also be used to determine where additional resources are required in order to manage a higher volume of documents.

Automate tasks and operations

Many operations within businesses consist of a series of tasks that need to be completed before the operations can begin. If a task is taking longer than expected, you will miss the opportunity to perform the next task in the sequence, potentially causing a ripple effect throughout the entire operation. This can be solved by automating these sequences with sensors. For example, if the sensors in your office are showing that it takes an employee longer than expected to print and scan documents, you can use the sensors to automatically send the documents to the printer or scanner. This will help to reduce the time it takes for the employee to perform their task and complete the next task in the sequence, helping to keep operations running smoothly.

Leverage smart home devices

If you’re not using smart home devices to reduce your electricity consumption, you’re missing out on a huge source of savings. Almost every major home appliance can be controlled through a smartphone app, allowing you to remotely adjust the settings to suit your needs. From setting the temperature in your home to scheduling appliances and lights to turn on and off, these devices are more than capable of helping you reduce your electricity consumption. For example, if the sensors in your office are showing that your lights are left on after the building has closed and everyone has left, you can use a smartphone app to turn the lights off from wherever you are. This will help to reduce your electricity consumption and maximize your savings.

Conclusion

The Internet of Things has the potential to drive efficiency and cost savings across industries and businesses of all sizes. The IoT has the power to drive a more automated, connected world that reduces costs, increases productivity, and creates new revenue streams. All of this translates into lower power bills, allowing you to reap the benefits of the IoT right in your own home.