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Before2050™

Energy Use Calculator

How Does Your Home’s Total Energy Use Compare?

 

**We are conducting a pilot study of the Before2050™ Energy Use Calculator and appreciate your participation and feedback in improving its functionality and utility.**

Heating and cooling are the largest sources of energy use in your home. The Before2050™ Energy Use Calculator can give you a quick and easy assessment of your home’s total energy use and show you how it compares with other homes in Newton. This app can be used by any Newton homeowner who receives their own property tax bill and gas and/or electric utility bills.

How is this Different From the Energy Report I Get From My Utility Companies?

Utility companies generate a ‘compare with your neighbors’ summary of your gas or your electrical use, but not both together, resulting in an incomplete picture. Before2050™ combines all of your energy use information on your computer or mobile device, updates it automatically, and allows you to compare your home’s usage with others in Newton.

How Before2050™ Works

Upon entering your address and utility information, you will receive an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) number, a number that shows how much energy you use for the size of your home. The greater the insulation and energy efficiency, the lower the EUI. Before2050™ will compare your EUI to other EUIs in its database — by size of homes, age, neighborhood, etc. — and display the information in simple graphs. You’ll also have links to the ways you can take action to lower your EUI.

Here’s What You Need

  • a PC computer with Windows 10 or higher, or an Android 7 or later smartphone. (Apple devices are not yet supported.)
  • the Before2050™ app
  • your gas and/or electricity billing account numbers



Before 2050™ is intended for all computer skills levels and does not require any technical knowledge about energy use or efficiency. All data entered is strictly confidential.

 

FAQ

What is the purpose of the app?

The Before2050™ app is designed to help homeowners understand their home’s energy use. The app will calculate an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) number based on your total annual energy use and the size of your home. The app retrieves the size of your home from the publicly available Newton Assessor’s Database.

What is the Energy Use Intensity (EUI) number?

The EUI is a measure of energy efficiency of your home. The more efficient the home, the smaller the EUI.  The EUI is calculated in two steps: 1) the electricity and natural gas use are converted to a common metric unit called a Btu; 2) the total annual energy (in Btu) consumed in the operation of your home is divided by the square footage of your home.

Why is the Energy Use Intensity (EUI) number important?

The EUI is the total annual energy (in Btus) consumed in the operation of your home divided by the square footage of your home. This includes heating, cooling, lighting, charging, and anything else that uses gas or electricity to operate during each calendar year. The smaller the EUI of your home, the more energy efficient–and better for your wallet and the environment.

Homeowners with EUIs higher than comparable houses can consider home improvement projects aimed at lowering that figure. The largest impact on your EUI are the amount of insulation and degree of air sealing applied to your home, and, to a lesser degree, the efficiency of heating and cooling equipment operating there.

The Before2050™ app will help you compare your EUI number and energy use to other homes in Newton. As the number of Newton homeowners becomes large enough, you will be able to compare your home to the average in Newton, as well as averages for key groupings such as by zip code, houses of similar age, houses of similar size, etc.

Who can sign up?

The pilot is open to any Newton homeowner who receives their own property tax bill and gas and/or electric utility bills. We may make the app available to other residents at a future date.

Why should I sign up?

1) Sharing your energy use statistics–the EUI for your home–will help you understand your home energy use and how it compares with other homes in Newton. 2) We hope understanding your Energy Use Intensity (EUI) will enable you to make the best choices in improving your home’s energy efficiency and value. 3) The Before2050™ app continues to be improved, and your participation in the pilot will provide valuable feedback for future upgrades.

How do I sign up?

You need a computer with a Windows 10 or higher operating system, or an Android 7 or higher smartphone. Download the Before2050™ app to your computer or smartphone and launch. Follow the prompts for entering your street address and account numbers–and you’re done!

How long will the process take?

It will take about 3-5 minutes for you to enter your information and obtain your Energy Use Intensity (EUI) number, and the online followup survey will take 5 minutes.

Where do I locate my account numbers?

Locate your account number on your Eversource bill: Locate your National Grid account number and the access code:

What happens after I sign up?

You can view your Energy Use Intensity (EUI) number and how it compares with other pilot participants. Your EUI comparisons will become more meaningful as more people participate in the pilot, so make sure to check the app occasionally to improve your understanding of your home’s annual energy use.

How will my data be used?

The sharing of your gas and electricity account numbers allows Before2050™ access to your monthly usage data. The data will be used to provide homeowners with information on their home’s energy use compared to other homes in Newton, referred to as “”Peer Groups”. Other personal information that may be in your account at these utilities will not be accessed or used. Only your energy use data will be used in Before2050™ in analyses. You can assert additional control over the use of this information and analysis on the Settings–>Privacy & Data Sharing page in the app. Before2050™  will maintain and adhere to those settings, even after the pilot has concluded.

Who will be able to see my data?

Each homeowner will be able to see their own monthly use data. Homeowners will also be able to see the aggregate Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of groups of other homes, but not the names and addresses for individual EUIs.

Will I need to enter data regularly?

You only need to enter your account information once at registration. You can run the app again to see monthly use data collected since the last time and updated Peer Group data. Each year, the app will automatically recalculate the EUI metric from your data.

I only have a Mac or an iPhone. Is an iOS version being developed?

Depending on the success of the Before2050™ pilot program, an app for Apple computers and phones may be developed in the future.

Is there someone who can help me?

Contact PilotSupport@before2050.com with any questions or comments.