Energy Disclosure

Benchmarking has been a popular way to compare your home's energy use with those around you.

And as technology increases, comparisons are easier to make and more accurate. However, the article in Home Energy Online's March/April Editorial asks what role privacy should play within growing comparisons. See their message for yourself at: http://www.homeenergy.org/blog.php?id=45

For the purposes of the article, several different types of energy measuring outcomes were discussed. The article outlines energy comparisons for:

• Real Estate - making the utility bills available to home buyers
• Benchmarking residential water use - highlighting the city of Austin Texas' bold move of "exposing the ten largest residential water users."
• The article even brings up the fact that most utility companies (with outdated billing machines)cannot provide the data to benchmark energy/water/gas...etc. within their customers.

Then, Home Energy editors even speak about the use of google earth etc. to map energy use in comparison to homes in your area.

So which is more important? Privacy or being able to gauge your energy use? While privacy is important, and name-shame techniques are harmful, I believe there is some use in being able to compare your energy use with others around you. I mean, I try and turn the water off while brushing my teeth...but I would want to know if my water bill was super high, then I could target specific areas and really make a difference.

It all comes down to you, your personal preference. Should you compare your energy/resource use with others or is it an invasion of privacy?