The Amphiro project develops and evaluates a water usage gauge that is applicable to shower and taps.

Working group

Clemens Fischli, Thorsten Staake, Jan Landwehr, Thomas Stiefmeier, Artemi Egorov

Abstract

Conserving water in households is a crucial issue in the effort to protect our climate: 7% of CO₂-emissions in the EU (total, not only households) ultimately result from water heating. Several research studies demonstrated that by providing real-time feedback information behavioral changes can be induced. For this reason, the Bits to Energy Lab launched the Amphiro project that developed a device that provides instantaneous feedback on water and energy usage directly at the tap or in the shower.

In July 2010, a field study will be conducted by the Bits to Energy Lab in cooperation with the Center for Business Metrics, University of St.Gallen, using 250 prototypes. Valuable research results on behavioral adaption to feedback information are expected.

Description

People are very responsive to feedback. For virtually every activity, individuals are interested in information on their performance, on the effects that result from their behavior, and the distance which separates them from a goal. When suitable feedback information is at hand, people tend to set themselves goals or try to get along with a virtual budget. In fact, even if achieving a round number is not a significant objective, reaching goals is satisfying, and acting socially responsible gives us a good consciousness. Studies suggest that real-time feedback information on water consumption leads to a conscious and efficient usage of water and heat energy.

Amphiro has developed a smart water meter that provides this feedback information directly at individual faucets or shower heads. The device captures flow rate and temperature and derives the amount of water extracted, energy used, and CO₂ emitted. The information is shown in an appealing way either on an external display, as a projection on the basin, or directly on the fixture or shower head.

The measurement unit works without batteries, fits into standard aerators, and can be embedded into a shell that allows for a direct mounting on shower fittings. It is suited for upgrading existing installations and can also be incorporated into new designs.

In July 2010, a first prototype series will be tested in a joint field study with the Center for Business Metrics, University of St.Gallen, in 250 single-households with the objective to gather valuable insights into adaptation processes of consumption behavior to real-time usage information in the shower. Besides quantifying saving effects of different information presentation modes (along two different dimensions: 1. counting up vs. counting down, 2. displaying only used liters vs. displaying used liters and deciliters in order to accelerate the numbers on the display) the field study is designed to enable a more accurate understanding of attitude-behavior-links respectively perception-behavior-links. Further research projects will observe the role of social norms by testing behavior adaptation to usage information in multi-person households.

Due to the high market potential of the technology, Amphiro AG was founded as an ETH spin-off company in 2009 in order to commercialize the smart water meter. The company closely cooperates with the Bits to Energy Lab in various research projects, generating valuable output for both partners.

Amphiro is a winning team of the Venture 2010 “Business Plan” phase and a finalist of the Venture 2010 “Business Idea” phase and the Munich Business Plan Competition “Ideas Stage”.

For more information on Amphiro go to: www.amphiro.com.