Peak Focused Normative Comparison

The Peak Focused Normative Comparison module educates customers about their energy use relative to other homes during on-peak periods. The module compares the customer (“You”) to their neighbors, “Efficient Neighbors” and “Average Neighbors,” and provides them with a comparison state (such as fair, good, or great) to help them measure how their electricity use is compared their neighbors. The results are displayed in a horizontal bar graph. Total electricity usage values are also displayed so the customer can have a better understanding of what their on-peak use compared to their total use during the bill period. An informational text below the bar graph explains that "Efficient Homes" represent the 20% of similar homes in the customer's comparison group that used the last amount of energy in the billing period, and provides information about how the graph works. Depending on the customer's comparison state, the insight statement below the graph either gently informs the customer that savings are still within reach or informs them that they are leading their neighbors in savings.

Peak Focused Normative Comparison Example

The image below is an example of the Peak Focused Normative Comparison for a customer with a good data state.

Peak Focused Normative Comparison in Good State

Configuration Options

Configuration Option Input Value

Efficient Homes Color

This bar displays a usage value for the most efficient 20% of the customer's neighbors.

Default: Green

Optional

  • Use the default color.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

Similar Homes Color

This bar indicates how all the customer's neighbors are doing.

Default: Grey

Optional

  • Use the default label.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

Efficient Homes Label

This bar displays a usage value for the most efficient 20% of the customer's neighbors.

Default: Efficient Neighbors

Optional

  • Use the default label.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

Similar Homes Label

This bar indicates how all the customer's neighbors are doing.

Default: Average Neighbors

Optional

  • Use the default label.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

You Label

This bar indicates how the customer is doing.

Default: You

Optional

  • Use the default label.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

Short Explainer

The explainer text appears below the bar chart and includes an efficient homes description that defines efficient neighbors that the customer is being compared to.

Default: Efficient neighbors are the 20% of homes in your comparison group that used the least amount of electricity during on-peak hours this period.

Optional

  • Use the default text.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

Fuel Explainer

The fuel units used in the comparison are defined below the efficient neighbors description.

Default: A Kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the standard unit used to measure electricity use.

Optional

  • Use the default text.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

Smiley Icons

If smileys icons are configured, the icon set appears beside the main insight heading. Icon set options include:

  • No icons (Off)
  • Smiley icons:
    • Neutral smiley icons
    • Thinking smiley icons
  • Leaf icons
  • Medal icons

Default: No icons (Off)

Optional

  • Use the default setting.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

Threshold

When the cost/savings are not greater than the threshold, the fallback is used.

Default: $100

Optional

  • Use the default setting.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

Bottom Insight

The utility may opt for a financial or percentage version of the bottom insight.

  • The financial version uses the customer’s Time of Use rate to calculate an approximate annualized cost of the energy use gap between the recipient and their most relevant comparison group.
  • The percentage version of the insight indicates how much more or less energy the customer has used compared to their neighbors.

Default: Financial

Optional

  • Use the default setting.
  • Provide alternate configuration.

User Experience Variations

The user experience of the feature may vary for customers and utilities depending on their service types (gas, electricity, dual fuel, and so on), available data, costs, locale, and other factors. For more information, see the Peak Focused Normative Comparison description for Home Energy Reports v3 in the Oracle Utilities Opower Energy Efficiency Cloud Service Overview and go to the User Experience Variations section.