Innovative program translates energy data into actionable and engaging conversations with building occupants to improve conservation habits.
October 1, 2012 Washington D.C.—Balfour Beatty Communities and WattzOn today announced they were invited to the White House to showcase the Switch4Good Living Buildings program as an innovative approach that helps reduce community energy consumption by deploying usage data in creative and powerful ways. The Switch4Good program allows building and home occupants to access their energy consumption data and relevant tips and ‘social nudges’ in a personalized and timely manner.
As part of the Energy Data Initiative, led by the U.S. Department of Energy in close partnership with the White House and other agencies, “Energy Datapalooza” highlights innovators from the private and academic sectors who have utilized previously untapped government and non-government data to build products, services and apps that that help American families and businesses save money on utility bills, protect the environment, create jobs, and ensure a safe and reliable energy future. The event took place at the White House on October 1st, with Tabitha Crawford as guest presenter.
Crawford helped develop and implement the Switch4Good program partnership with the Department of Energy and WattzOn, Inc. Developing ‘green’ buildings—LEED, ENERGY STAR® and others—is just one step in becoming more sustainable. Even with certification, it is the building occupants who ultimately drive the building’s energy performance as poor habits can drive up energy use and offset any green label intentions. Switch4Good Living Buildings provides the technology, protocols and cues to support smart energy saving habits with building occupants through use of social media.
“Balfour Beatty Communities is committed to developing and managing residential communities that maximize value for both our partners and residents and increasingly that value is focused on sustainability. As a strategic partner to the U.S. Department of the Army, we are continuously searching for new and innovative ways to support their vision of installations that operate on a Net Zero basis for energy, water and waste,” said Chris Williams, president, Balfour Beatty Communities. “The Switch4Good program switches habits and saves energy through the empowerment of residents and building occupants. Because nearly 20-25% of a military installation’s energy use is consumed by housing, the Switch4Good program is an important step in mitigating the energy security risks for our military.”