The Living Lab is a safe and affordable, real-world test environment for trialing new energy products, services, and business models, with the aim of de-risking and scaling innovations for market.
Established as part of the Energy Systems Catapult, the Living Lab represents around 200 digitally connected smart-homes located across the UK. Through combining a range of different building types featuring room-by-room sensors, smart meters, IoT devices and electric vehicle chargers, the facility enables businesses to collect valuable technical data and consumer insights on novel energy technologies.
With the UK’s ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a significant increase in the amount of innovation within the energy sector is required. The Living Lab provides national capability to test and demonstrate market arrangements, policy, and regulations with real consumers, supporting the UK’s commitment to a Net Zero carbon future.
It enables energy providers, device manufacturers and technology companies to trial a range of new, innovative products, services, business models and market arrangements in an open, interoperable and scalable environment.