Changing Your Behavior to Save Energy

You are here

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is, according to the quote attributed to Albert Einstein, the definition of insanity. The same could be said of energy conservation: unless we change the way we (and other people) think about energy, our goal of using less to do more is doomed from the start.

Of course, there's a big gap between what is ideal and what is achievable. In research studies conducted in the US, average homeowners were able to reduce their energy use by as much as 15% with the addition of one simple, yet vital component: feedback.

It makes sense: you can manage your energy use a lot better if you have devices to show how much electricity and water you're using when you perform your daily tasks. If those panels are automated and require no extra measuring effort on your part, they're even more encouraging. If they show real-time data, they're even more effective.

Direct vs. Indirect Feedback

In tests, energy use dropped by around 10% when indirect feedback was provided – details of energy use on a bill or online – and by between 5% and 15% with direct feedback measured in the home itself.

Direct feedback is, understandably, the most promising for the general public, especially if it is tied into gadgets with friendly interfaces. In an average home where a smartcard (pre-payment) meter was installed for electricity, a meter showed the cumulative cost of cooking and an interactive screen displayed cost and power, the net reduction in energy consumption was as high as 20%.

Logically, every home has different energy needs, and the studies found that this was an essential part of data presentation: providing a vague estimate of community power use had far less impact than a screen in each home that gave accurate readings of the family's power consumption.

In the same vein, the readings are much more effective if they are immediate and accurate. Estimates don't work as well as on-the-spot figures that state, in black and white, "You're using this much."

Consequently, the best domestic system is either built-in power usage displays on every appliance and gadget or a live feed of energy use presented on a computerised dashboard. The latter method suits more people but potentially consumes more power for the system itself.

Manufacturers realise how important monitoring is and how the information they provide can affect energy use. It's in their best interest, since monitored systems report problems quicker, less use generally means longer appliance life spans - which provides an attractive selling point – and such innovation shows them to be concerned about the environment.

The systems currently available range from small hand-held monitors and meters right up to integrated home power monitoring systems with complex readouts, data recording and computerized projections.

Regardless of the kind of education and monitoring, one fundamental truth remains: what people can measure, they can manage better.