Airports that deploy a network of smart meters to monitor their power use and emissions could cut their energy bills by up to 30% thanks to the efficiencies that could be identified, a trial by a UK construction company suggests.

Morgan Sindall Professional Services installed a number of radio-mesh energy meters around an airport terminal to determine the energy use at each location.

By collecting the data via a 3G mobile phone network and collating it with a cloud-based monitoring software, the company was able to create a real time ‘dashboard’ of energy use around the airport and use this data to suggest efficiencies and behavioural changes.

“Radio-mesh energy meters, coupled with the energy dashboard are a breakthrough technology with the potential to transform energy use at UK airports and elsewhere,” explains Alasdair MacIntosh, associate director of Morgan Sindall Professional Services.

“The technology is ideal for large, complex building and campus environments and is a vital tool for helping building users visualise their energy use in clear, unambiguous terms.”

‘Smart’ meters have already been introduced in offices and retail buildings to cut emissions and energy costs.