DOI: 10.5255/ukda-sn-8666-4
title: Smart Energy Research Lab Observatory Data, 2019-2021: 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;Participant recruitment began in August 2019. Approximately 1,700 participants were recruited from central and southern England and from Wales as part of a pilot study that tested different recruitment strategies. The second recruitment wave took place in August-September 2020, and the third wave at the start of 2021. SERL aims to recruit around 10,000 households to be regionally representative across England, Scotland and Wales. Recruitment is also designed to be representative of each Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile; an area-based relative measure of deprivation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;For the latest edition (October 2021) all SERL data up to and including 31 May 2021, which includes participant households recruited in Waves 1, 2 and 3, were made available. (Users should note that this is the 3rd edition of SERL data that has been released, though the citation may refer to the 4th edition.)  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;All code provided with the data is now managed on the &lt;a title="SERL GitHub" href="https://github.com/smartEnergyResearchLab" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"&gt;SERL GitHub&lt;/a&gt; website.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="x_x_MsoNoSpacing"&gt;Smart meter data:&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. Survey data exists for 4,753 participants.&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&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;