This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
The latest to announce its demise is Google Powermeter. All the efforts to combine social networking with energy conservation seem to be pulling the plug. As I wrote back in April, Web 2.0 may be many things, but green it is not. And that's a shame, because if our friends could "unlike" our energy habits, we might have some incentive to improve them.
To see what might be done to turn things around, I talked to Paul Cole, vice-president of Tendril, in April and again yesterday. Cole is a psychologist by training and has been conducting some pilot projects to see what might get people to save energy. "We have gotten it wrong so far," he says. "It's less a question of user motivation than that we energy technologists haven't gotten the right products to the consumers."
Cole has scathing words about thermostats in particular. A study released in April by Lawrence Berkeley labs found that most people who had programmable thermostats didn't use them. My first reaction was, "Geez, that's pitiful." Are they really that hard? But I have to admit that I grew up keying hexadecimal machine code into a homebuilt computer, so I might not be the average customer. And even I occasionally find myself in a freezing house because I neglected to reprogram the thermostat for a change in season or schedule.
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It's not just a matter of making thermostat settings easier to punch in, but to make sure the devices provide useful information. If you lower the temperature and force your family members to put on thicker sweaters, will you really save any money? How much? If you go through all the trouble of weatherstripping your windows, will it pay off in your heating bill? A thermostat should be able to calculate all that for you.
Cole's group did a pilot study of 100 homes on Cape Cod starting in June 2009. Folks got smart thermostats and energy monitors that gave them direct feedback about their power bills—not only their real-time usage, but also how their usage compared to their past usage, to the usage of other survey participants, and to the predicted consumption for a house of similar size. An online forum let people share ideas, brag about their energy savings, and ask an energy expert for advice. It also offered a list of 25 steps to take (see below).
In the first six months, homeowners reduced their electric bills by an average of 10 percent. Most started off with simple measures like swapping out light bulbs and gradually turned to more elaborate ones such as replacing appliances. "Over time, we saw more equipment-based changes," Cole says. More significantly, perhaps, he says they have kept their consumption low since then—no dieter's regress. People log in to the site once or twice a month on average. They used to pose their questions to the expert, but, over time, increasingly turned to one another.
Other studies have likewise found that social feedback encourages energy savings. Another psychologist, Robert Cialdini, has also co-founded a company (now part of Opower) to let people know how their energy usage compared with their neighbors', and early reports suggest the peer pressure works.
Tendril incorporated its lessons into its Energize web-based and Android/iOS apps, which started to ship this week. (Unfortunately, "ship" means "ship to electric utilities"; it will be a while yet before consumers will get to use the system, although Cole demo'ed it for me.) The system lets you set energy goals, check your progress, see where you stand and post tips. What I liked about it is that it works even if you aren't lucky enough to have a smart thermostat or power monitor. Your monthly bill (which Tendril downloads from the utility for you) is enough to get going.
If you do have a smart thermostat, you can program it through the app, and a slider shows you much the new settings will save (or cost). The company has also been working on a whole new paradigm for thermostat programming. Instead of having to enter numbers for each setback period, you'll be able to choose a profile that matches your lifetyle: for example, whether everyone works or goes to school during the day, or the house is always occupied. Those of us who like to punch in numbers can still fine-tune the settings.
One problem is that you'll have to wait for your utility to offer Energize, which it may never do. Also, the system will work with some but not all third-party equipment such as energy monitors. This isn't Tendril's fault per se—they have an open API—but device manufacturers need to make the effort to interface with the system (an issue shared by DIY efforts such as Pachube). Finally, the system is electric-only. Cole says they have plans to incorporate gas (which accounts for the bulk of my energy bill) but haven't set a date yet.
Before talking to Cole, I was worried that social-networking efforts had failed for lack of willingness—because people would sooner not know how much energy they squander. But it seems people are quite willing to take real steps, if only developers can make it easy and fun.
Image credit: iPhone screenshot courtesy of Tendril
Use power strips on home entertainment system
Use power strips on home computer system
Reduce wattage in multiple bulb fixtures
Power off external computer speakers
Use CFLs in indoor fixtures
Clean your dryer lint filter
Run your dishwasher with a full load
Set your dryer timer to the minimum time required
Use lighting controls or timers
Install ENERGY STAR indoor light fixtures
Scrub your dryer lint filter periodically
Turn off outdoor lights during the day
Use your dishwasher's economy mode
Close your refrigerator door
Unplug chargers when not in use
Activate the high-spin setting on your washing machine
Air dry dishes
Use fluorescent tube lights
Air dry clothes
Turn off your desktop computer at night
Check the temperature of your refrigerator or freezer
Install a programmable thermostat
Install CFLs in your outdoor light fixtures
Unplug your TV when not in use
Check your refrigerator door seals