Green is allegedly the new black. If that’s true, why does it seem so many people are confounded by their own energy use? (Who among us can say with any certainty how many kWh our flat screen TVs use? And what is a kWh anyway?). Do we not care? Is saving energy too inconvenient? Is ignorance bliss? Or maybe we just don’t know what to do—beyond turning off the lights or using a power strip.

This session will look at real world examples of how ordinary people are doing simple things for extraordinary energy results. It will examine how well designed technology interfaces are empowering consumers, moving them from passive users to home energy management evangelists. It will take a close look at how behavioral science principles that have been around since WWII and used in weight loss and smoking cessation are now successfully being used to help people decrease their home energy use. Most importantly, it will demonstrate that meaningful, sustained home energy management—if done using the right design principles and approach—doesn’t require a lot of time, effort or knowledge.