Introducing Bridgewise: An Easy Way to Monitor—and Lower—Your Home’s Energy Use

How can you lower your energy bills while keeping your home healthy and comfortable? The key is knowing how your home uses energy. What time of day is your “peak” energy use? What day of the week do you use the most energy? Is your home comfortable during that time? Or is it too humid? Or too warm compared to outside temperatures?

A new program called Bridgewise will help Bridgewater residents answer these questions. Bridgewise was created by Energize Bridgewater and was launched as a pilot project in February 2025. The program has two main components.

First, participating households are equipped with a sensor that monitors the temperature, humidity and CO2 levels in their home. In partnership with Nova Scotia Power, Bridgewise also monitors electricity use on an hourly basis. Residents in the Bridgewise program can see all of this information through a private, secure dashboard on their cellphone or computer. This is the information-gathering component of Bridgewise.

Easy-to-read graphs show changes in energy use and home comfort by the hour. Graphs also show outdoor temperature and humidity. This information helps participants see when they are spending the most for electricity—and if their electricity use is actually making their home feel more comfortable.

The second component of Bridgewise is taking action. Once participants know how their home is using energy, they can make changes to save both energy and money. Maybe the thermostat can be lowered at night. Maybe a dehumidifier would make the house more comfortable and reduce the risk of mould. Or maybe the clothes drier could be used during off-peak times.

Bridgewise provides this kind of cost-saving tips directly through the dashboard. The Energize Bridgewater team is also available to help residents make bigger decisions, such as installing heat pumps.

Bridgewise is currently available to participants in the Energize Bridgewater Home Upgrades program. Residents who complete the Home Upgrades program will be notified if they are eligible to participate in Bridgewise. There is no cost to residents to participate.

The overall goal of Bridgewise is to help residents—especially those struggling to pay bills—save energy and money while maintaining a healthy, comfortable home. The Energize Bridgewater motto is “leave no household behind.”

By reducing energy use, we also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This will help Bridgewater reach its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. These efforts are vital to address climate change.

To learn more about Bridgewise, see the Bridgewise: Energy Hub page on our website. You can also find the Town of Bridgewater’s press release from February 26, 2025, announcing the launch of Bridgewater.