Arizona State University
IN-1: Innovation 1

The Campus Metabolism™ project at Arizona State University is an interactive website that displays real-time energy consumption data for 20 campus buildings as well as the energy production of 21 photovoltaic sites on the Tempe campus. The website currently tracks "energy," which includes chilled water (used for cooling), electricity, and hot water/steam (used for heating and hot water). The energy data is presented in conventional industry units as well as in terms of gallons of gas per hour, the equivalent number for compact fluorescent light bulbs, and pounds of carbon dioxide released at the power plant. Campus Metabolism™ website visitors compare the energy use of buildings against one another, or against a particular building’s historical data such as yesterday, last week, last month, or last year. In one virtual environment, visitors can gain a sense of the energy footprint of offices and dorm rooms by scrolling over objects including computers, fans, lights, and thermostats. Renewable energy generated by campus solar and wind projects are monitored by Campus Metabolism™, which also has detected abnormally high energy-use patterns, enabling building managers to correct problems that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

Implemented in 2008, the Campus Metabolism website was a project developed solely in house through a cross-departmental collaboration and in partnership with our energy services company. Intra-campus energy conservation competitions led by passionate students have continued to boost sustainability awareness and have produced a quantifiable decrease in per-student energy use in the participating buildings. In the near future, Campus Metabolism™ is on track to add over 100 buildings, span all 4 Arizona State University campuses as well as include additional displays of transportation, recyclable and non-recyclable waste.