How to maximize home energy efficiency with home energy management systems (HEMS)

Author: Schneider Electric

This audio was created using Microsoft Azure Speech Services

It’s more than just a building. A home is the epicenter of daily life. From early-morning coffee brews to late-night movies, it’s where we accomplish tasks, find leisure and peace, and spend quality time with loved ones. Maintaining a clean, safe, and energy-efficient home is a priority for everyone. And with the challenges of climate change and rising energy costs, managing home energy usage has never been more crucial. Implementing efficient energy solutions can lead to significant savings and a more sustainable future.

In the past, managing home energy meant switching off or unplugging devices in unused rooms, adjusting thermostats, and even bundling up to avoid big energy bills—all for little reward. Today, thanks to innovations in smart technology, home energy management systems (or HEMS for short) have turned this on its head, letting homeowners maximize home energy efficiency and cut energy costs.

Simply put, HEMS do not just keep the lights on or off. Instead, these systems transform your home, even when you’ve powered down for the night. They can monitor, control, and optimize your home’s energy consumption, combining various energy sources, appliances, and devices. So you can manage your energy, reduce costs, and increase efficiency. HEMS give you the power—literally. 

Turning that grey panel smart and green

Consider the smart electrical panel. Once an industrial grey box you usually opened when something went wrong, today’s smart panels are like having your own personal energy consultant. They have the potential to automate energy savings and intelligent load control, which helps keep your home safe. Some can log all the energy your home uses in real time, from your air conditioner to your bathroom night light. They ping you when you leave something on or warn you if something’s not working right. With the help of smart relays, you can turn energy-vampire devices off and keep essentials on, all from your app. Suppose your utility has higher rates during certain times of the day. These systems can even give you insider information on the lowest-cost periods to run more demanding loads—like your laundry machine—based on off-peak pricing and weather forecasts—or you can have them do this automatically.

You can turn that grey box green with HEMS, making it a smart, sustainable energy hub.

HEMS + clean energy = maximum energy savings

You can see the true potential of HEMS when you combine it with clean energy generation, like solar panels and storage.

Imagine we add home battery to that smart electrical panel. When energy rates peak, instead of your HEMS turning off devices, some systems can automatically switch to your battery backup power to keep everything running with zero interruption without using that more expensive electricity. This is one way you can automate energy savings with a home energy management system like Schneider Home. 

Add solar panels to that setup. Now, during the day, your solar panels can send excess energy to your batteries to store for later. You can automatically pull from the most sustainable and cost-efficient energy source. For example, tapping into that reserve at night or when it’s cloudy instead of paying for grid electricity.

Finally, add an electric vehicle (EV) and EV home charger. With the smart electrical panel, you can automatically power your car using only clean and free solar or schedule it to charge when electricity is at its cheapest. You can even use your EV as a backup power source during an outage.

An integrated HEMS doesn’t stop with smart panels and EV chargers. These systems grow with you and adapt to new technologies. So, you’re not just saving money and improving your energy efficiency—you’re also futureproofing your home to meet your needs as they evolve.

So why invest in a Home Energy Management System?

With energy costs increasing worldwide, the immediate benefits of HEMS—lower energy bills—are obvious. But HEMS goes further, transforming how you interact with energy and giving you greater control over usage and environmental impacts without sacrificing comfort.

• Be in control: understand and manage your home energy usage from an app rather than wait for a monthly bill.
• Save money: use electricity when it’s at its cheapest and conserve it when rates spike—a home with a HEMS could save 20% on the annual electricity bill.
• Enjoy convenience: automate your home’s energy usage without lifting a finger.
• Financial perks: Combining HEMS with clean energy solutions can give you access to government and utility incentives, reducing the initial cost and increasing the return on investment.
• Live sustainably: Did you know homes account for 20% of all carbon emissions? HEMS can help you reduce your carbon emissions and contribute to a healthier planet.

Keep things on when needed, off when not

Look for open, integrated HEMS that grow with you. The benefit of these systems lies in their scalability—start small, add components when you can, and maximize your future payoffs. Explore our comprehensive Home Energy Management Systems portfolio and start your journey to smarter energy usage.

As pioneers in sustainability and home energy solutions, Schneider Electric is here to power your home electrification journey to a more sustainable, electrified future. We’re lighting the way with over a century of innovation, and our technology is in four out of ten US homes. Embark on your home electrification adventure by visiting Schneider Home. Together, let’s spark a brighter, cleaner future.

Tags: Energy Efficiency, HEMS, home battery backup, Home Energy Management System, smart electrical panels, Sustainable Homes