Slideshow: The Economic Case for Green Building

Idling appliances and appliances that are not turned off when unused account for a significant electrical load. It should be possible to build “smart” appliances that turn themselves off when unused.  Alternatively, appliances could incorporate communications technology that allows the power utility to turn off the appliance (including idle power) when it is unused.  Another way to implement this technology might be in a “smart plug” or “smart extension cord” that can cut power to whatever is plugged into it as the power company’s request.  The plug or power cord could come with a customer-selected priority switch that would tell the utility (through the communications device) that the power could be interrupted “often” seldom” or “never”.  Power companies would then be able to shed load more selectively, rather than inflicting brownouts or blackouts over entire areas.  On a continuing bases, such smart appliances might save as much as 5% of the electrical load, perhaps delaying the construction of new power plants.