Here at Sandbox Solar, we’re committed to helping you find energy-efficient solutions that make sense for your needs and are reasonable on a long-term basis. The first step in doing so is to start with energy monitoring. This means that before we ever sell you a solar power system or make suggestions about energy-efficient upgrades to make in your home or office, we’ll get a baseline understanding of where you’re currently at. We’ll leverage smart energy-monitoring solutions to track and quantify how your home is currently performing and where you utilize the majority of your power. We’ll use this information to make smart decisions about the kind of solar system you may need and help you determine the most effective behavior changes and upgrades.

Why Energy Monitoring Is Important

In the grand scheme of things, energy monitoring is important because it’s one tool to help you reduce the amount of energy your home or office consumes. It will give you the data you need to make smart energy-efficiency choices and choose a solar system that is right for your needs. Energy monitoring is the first step in making sure you have real-time, specific-to-you details about energy use and where to go from here.

Energy Monitoring Solutions Sandbox Solar Offers

Depending on your home and your energy goals, Sandbox Solar offers two different energy-monitoring systems for your home. We’ll help you choose which is right for you and help you get them up and running so you can start leveraging the data provided by each:

• Sense Home Energy Monitor – With the Sense Home Energy Monitor, we can easily get solid information about your home’s efficiency and electricity use with a small device that connects to a smartphone or computer. If we go this route, we’ll install it directly into your home’s electrical panel to provide us with insight into your energy use and home activity through a smartphone app or their web-based dashboard. The installation is simple, and the device will give us great insight into how your home, appliances, and other devices are using energy in your home. This system provides real-time data and insights into your power usage over time.
• Neurio – If you already have solar installed, you can use Neurio to see how your system is running and what changes you can make to ensure that it’s running at peak performance. The Neurio system monitors energy usage and solar outputs in real time and provides customers with data instantaneously on their smartphone app or website-based dashboard. Neurio helps ensure that you’re getting the most out of your solar investment.

How to Use the Information Collected

With plenty of data at hand about your energy use, you can start to make better energy decisions that not only will reduce your electric bill, but also will help you make smart energy-efficiency upgrades and reduce your overall footprint. With an energy-monitoring system, you can:

• Reduce Your Use, and Bills – When you have the full picture of what kind of energy you’re using where, you can start to make smart decisions about your energy use, the time of your use (hello, time-of-day pricing!), and what kind of upgrades and habit changes you should consider to reduce your consumption. Not only will reducing your use benefit the planet, you’ll also save on your energy bill!
• Determine Your Ideal Solar System – If you’re considering upgrading to solar to cut back on your energy use, having a good idea of what kind of energy you use on a regular basis is key to deciding what the best system for your needs is. You want to make sure that whatever system you land on is appropriate for the energy needs of your building.
• Change Your Habits – By having a smart energy-monitoring system installed for your house or building, you will begin to get a clear picture of your energy habits. With this information, you can begin to change your energy-use habits to use less power.
• Make Smart Upgrade Choices – And finally, by understanding what appliances and devices consume the most energy, you can start to make choices about energy-efficient upgrades that will improve your home’s overall consumption.

Ready to start monitoring your home or office’s energy use to see where you can save and make smart decisions about your energy use and green upgrades? Sandbox Solar is here for you! We’re your Northern Colorado solar provider and partner in reducing your energy usage. We’ll help you determine what energy monitor is best for your needs and get it up and running! Contact us today to get started!