The argument for the implementation of 'smart' metering, which is an elastic term, varies according to circumstance and place. In some countries, the business case for establishing an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) relies in part on improving consumption feedback to customers and assisting in the transition to lower-impact energy systems. There is an expectation that AMI will lead to reductions in both the demand and the cost to serve customers through improved communication, but little evidence exists to show overall demand reduction. To what extent might smart meters improve the prospects for customer engagement? To assess this question, end-user perceptions and practices must be considered along with metering hardware and economics. Using the theory of affordances, qualitative research is examined to understand how householders have used consumption feedback, with and without smart meters. Although AMI offers possibilities for household energy management and customer-utility relations, there is little evidence to suggest it will automatically achieve a significant reduction in energy demand. For that, there has to be a determined focus on overall demand reduction (rather than on peak electricity demand reduction), on designing customer interfaces for ease of understanding, and on guiding occupants towards appropriate action. Appropriate forms of interface, feedback, narrative, and support will be needed to reach diverse populations.
Les arguments en faveur de la mise en
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uvre d'un comptage «intelligent», qui est un terme souple, varient en fonction des circonstances et du pays concern
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. Dans certains pays, le business case pour mettre en place une infrastructure de comptage avanc
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e (AMI) s'appuie en partie sur une am
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lioration du retour d'information fourni aux clients sur leur consommation, et sur l'aide apport
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e pour passer
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des syst
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mes
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nerg
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tiques pr
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sentant un impact moindre. Il est attendu d'une AMI qu'elle conduise
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la fois
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une r
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duction de la demande et
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une r
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duction du co
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t de desserte des clients gr
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ce
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des am
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liorations en terme de communication, mais il existe peu de donn
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es probantes
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l'appui d'une r
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duction globale de la demande. Dans quelle mesure des compteurs intelligents pourraient-ils am
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liorer les chances de voir le client s'impliquer? Afin d'
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valuer cette question, il est n
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cessaire d'examiner les perceptions et les pratiques des utilisateurs finaux en m
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me temps que le mat
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riel de comptage et les aspects
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conomiques. En utilisant la th
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orie des affordances, l'
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tude qualitative est examin
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e de fa
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on
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comprendre comment les occupants ont utilis
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le retour d'information sur leur consommation, avec et sans compteurs intelligents. Bien qu'une AMI offre des possibilit
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s en mati
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re de gestion
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nerg
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tique des m
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nages et de relations client-fournisseur d'
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nergie, il y a peu de donn
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es probantes permettant de sugg
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rer que cela assurera automatiquement une r
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duction sensible de la demande
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nerg
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tique. Pour ce faire, il importe de mettre l'accent sur une r
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duction globale de la demande (plut
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t que sur une r
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duction des pics de consommation
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lectrique), sur la conception d'interfaces client faciles
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comprendre et sur la fourniture de conseils aux occupants pour qu'ils prennent les mesures appropri
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es. Il sera n
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cessaire de disposer d'interfaces, d'un retour d'information, de descriptifs et d'une assistance aux formes adapt
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es pour pouvoir toucher des populations diverses.
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