Since there are no currently active contests, we have switched Climate CoLab to read-only mode.
Learn more at https://climatecolab.org/page/readonly.
Skip navigation
Share via:

Pitch

Public, real-time energy consumption and cost calculator signs, displayed in visibly conspicuous locations on or in all public buildings.


Description

Summary

Install public, real-time energy consumption and cost calculator signs, displayed in visibly conspicuous locations on or in all public buildings.

When people see what their taxes are paying for, they will demand buildings that have modern, efficient systems.

By requiring that government entities provide this information, they will be forced to gather this information, and possibly also forced to make changes to their systems to support the gathering of this information, if they are not already set up to do so. 

Governments and the governed both need this information to be able to make sane public policy choices. 


Category of the action

Mitigation/Adaptation, Changing public attitudes about climate change


What actions do you propose?

Require the display of energy consumption and cost signs, and therefore the gathering and calculation of that information, by local, state or federal law.


Who will take these actions?

Local, State and Federal Governments

Contractors for Government entities


Where will these actions be taken?

Anywhere politicians have the guts and vision to require basic information be provided to the public.


How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?

Impossible to predict, as any reductions would be dependent on the public reaction to the newly available information on energy use. If the public demand "green" buildings as a result, the emissions reductions could be significant over time.


What are other key benefits?

Accountability for governments. Wasteful buildings will be easily identified by everyone, wasteful equipment will be tracked down and replaced, and plans for renovations or new construction would likely be influenced by problems seen in existing buildings and systems.


What are the proposal’s costs?

Costs to governments could be anywhere from a few thousand dollars to several million, depending on the number of buildings, their size, use, etc... and the state of building energy systems and their ability to calculate and report energy usage.


Time line

There is no reason this technology can not be deployed in a large number of places WITHIN 5 years.


Related proposals

ANY of the proposals under "Buildings"

https://www.climatecolab.org/web/guest/plans/-/plans/contestId/1300203

 


References

http://www.donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system

See #6

Thinking in Systems: A Primer By Donella H. Meadows

 Page 109 INTERLUDE - Electric Meters in Dutch Houses 

 Page 156 Information Flows