DOI: 10.5255/ukda-sn-8666-2
title: Smart Energy Research Lab Observatory Data, 2019-2020: Secure Access
title: SERL

description: &lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;The vision of the Smart Energy Research Lab (SERL) is to deliver a unique data resource harnessing the benefits of smart meter data for research. The portal will transform Great Britain's energy research through the long-term provision of high quality, high-resolution energy data that will support the development of a reliable evidence base for intervention, observational and longitudinal studies across the socio-technical spectrum.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;The goals of the Smart Energy Research Lab are to provide:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;A trusted data resource for researchers to utilise large-scale, high-resolution energy data &lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;An effective mechanism for collecting and linking energy data with other contextual data&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;High quality data management to ensure fit-for-purpose data are provisioned to researchers&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;The first edition of the &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Smart Energy Research Lab Observatory Data, 2019-2020: Secure Access&lt;/span&gt; relates to 1,700 participant households recruited during SERL’s pilot phase in August-September 2019 and includes:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;Smart meter data – from August 2018 to July 2020&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;Daily and half-hourly energy (electricity and gas) consumption data&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Additional smart meter technical data&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;Contextual data&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;A short SERL survey completed by participant households providing data on household information and building characteristics&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Weather data&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;&lt;span&gt;The Smart Energy Research Lab aims to recruit an Observatory panel of 10,000 households representative of the GB population. The fieldwork for recruiting participants will be conducted over three waves:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;Wave 1 (pilot phase): August-September 2019 – 1,700 participants recruited&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Wave 2 - August-September 2020 – 4,000 participants expected&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Wave 3 - October-December 2020 – 4,000 participants expected&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;SERL data will be updated and made available to researchers on a quarterly basis. SERL is an evolving data resource and thus new editions of the data might include:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;additional records – more (approx. 3 months) smart meter data since the previous edition&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;additional participants – more participants recruited since the previous release&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;additional variables – where new variables become available to SERL. For example, we expect additional weather and EPC variables to be provided in future editions.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;Further information about SERL can be found on &lt;a href="https://serl.ac.uk/" target="_blank"&gt;serl.ac.uk&lt;/a&gt; and in the associated documentation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;For the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA5 data users should note&lt;span style="font-weight: 700;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;that neither the European Commission nor the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts will be held responsible for any use that may be made of the&lt;a href="https://apps.ecmwf.int/datasets/licences/copernicus/" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"&gt; Copernicus information&lt;/a&gt; or data it contains.&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;The Energy Performance of Buildings Data is also included and users must read and abide&lt;span style="font-weight: 700;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;by the &lt;a href="https://epc.opendatacommunities.org/docs/copyright" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"&gt;Copyright Information Notice&lt;/a&gt;, provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, that covers the use of Royal Mail information and non-address data provided under the &lt;a href="http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"&gt;Open Government Licence v3.0&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;