Who makes it: ThinkEco
Some green building products are developed to tackle big problems.
Not the modlet. The device, which is short for “the modern outlet,” was created in response to millions of tiny problems. Specifically, it aims to curtail power wasted by plug-in appliances when they’re not in use.
The modlet may not be a building product in the conventional sense, but it’s a great example of a tool that’s facilitating changes to consumer behavior, according to Sustainable Industries’ judges – plus it has great design and branding, they said.
“From the perspective of trying to integrate good design sensibility with sustainable behavior, it was really leading in that direction,” said one judge.
While the modlet isn’t the only energy efficiency tool on the market, the judges liked that it was something that could be easily and quickly implemented and understood.
That was ThinkEco’s goal in developing the modlet — to create something that would be easy, meaningful and rewarding to use, said Mei Shibata, one of the company’s founders.
“It’s a great way to get started with energy management,” Shibata said. “It’s the perfect first product to get people used to energy efficiency.”
The modlet plugs into an existing outlet. Devices and appliances can then be plugged into the modlet, which communicates wirelessly with a USB drive plugged into a user’s computer. Users can monitor and manage their power use online and schedule the modlet to shut off power to appliances when they’re not in use.
For an office or building that plugs in modlets throughout its facility, that could mean a reduction in overall energy costs of about 10 percent – or a cut of up to 80 percent in the amount of power used by each plugged-in device, according to ThinkEco.
For now, the modlet is available to commercial users. The outlets cost $65 each, which includes a two-year software license. The company expects the modlet to be available to individual consumers later this year for $50 each, which includes the outlet and a USB drive.
