Dive Summary:

• The University of Washington (UW) will take part in a $178 million, five-year federal demonstration project in five western states that is being funded with federal stimulus dollars.
• UW is Seattle City Light’s largest customer and pays the utility about $1 million a month for electricity.
• The UW project includes putting energy-monitoring devices in students’ rooms as well as installing 235 electrical meters on campus to do the work that had previously been done by just seven meters.

From the article:

With the help of a device that monitors energy consumption in her dorm room, University of Washington student Simone Schaffer was surprised to discover that her computer monitor is constantly devouring electricity — even when the screen is dark.

But the device that measures power use also allows Schaffer to take command of her energy-slurping monitor. She can shut a suite of electronics down completely with the touch of a button, using either a control panel in her room, or remotely through a cellphone app. ...