EnergyAware: a non-intrusive load monitoring system to improve the domestic energy consumption awareness

Abstract

The correct use of energy can heavily impact on a family monthly bills and can also contribute to reduce the global air pollution production. Despite many available systems for domestic energy consumption, the real understanding of how domestic devices affect the total energy consumption is still a challenge. The Internet of Things (IoT) technology may contribute to the improvement of the energy habits awareness, by connecting sensors and mobile devices to provide people real-time consumption of a domestic environment. Many attempts have been done to integrate environmental sensors, mobile devices and people but this remains a challenge. This paper presents the use of a cheap and easy to apply Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) system that show people their historical and real-time domestic energy consumption on mobile devices and sends them alerts if an energy overload is about to occur.