April suggested reading

Here are two interesting articles on energy conservation and  that we found last month.

The first one was posted in mid-February on CNET, but perhaps you missed it then just like we did.  It’s an update of an on-going study conducted by Oklahoma Gas & Electric in conjunction with the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory.  The study results so far indicate that people will significantly conserve electricity during peak demand if given price incentives and tools to modify usage: http://cnet.co/gY1HcJ.  The article states that:

“The first collection of data, taken from June through September, found that on average customers who were offered peak pricing, but no smart tools, reduced electricity use during peak periods by 33 percent. Customers using smart thermostats and offered peak pricing, reduced electricity use during peak times by as much as 57 percent.”

While this study is tracking the usage patterns of small businesses and residences, the underlying hypothesis that more control over energy usage will reduce consumption also appears to apply to larger commercial buildings, as evidenced by the results of an occupant engagement experiment that we helped one of our clients conduct.

The second article comes from greentechmedia.com, about a utility in California that will be rolling out smart meters in the future, but in the meantime is giving the city free Wi-Fi (http://bit.ly/eiz6U5):

“The meters would obviously get one of the 16 different channels available on the Wi-Fi network. Other city departments, including the police, fire and parks and recreation departments saw the advantages of having Wi-Fi networks, as well. But one channel would go directly to the people in the way it was intended: free Wi-Fi blanketing the city.”