The Magical Way Colored LEDs Influence Energy Behavior

How to Use Colored LED Lights to Change Behavior

Pretty colored lights aren’t just for decoration—they’re powerful tools for influencing behavior and driving sustainability outcomes. By applying principles of gamification and behavioral science, colored lights can deliver immediate, intuitive feedback, making them ideal for communicating performance or guiding action. Here’s how climate and sustainability managers can harness their potential.

Why Color Works

Color is the most easily and immediately recognizable signal. It’s easier to understand than numbers, words, sounds, or even graphics. That makes it an incredibly effective tool for communication. Assigning colors to data—for example, mapping performance metrics to a gradient—turns abstract numbers into instantly actionable insights.

Think about how Google Maps uses blue, orange, and red to convey traffic conditions. Without reading a single word, you know whether your route is clear or gridlocked. This same principle can be applied to sustainability efforts, from water conservation to energy efficiency.

The Missed Opportunity

Despite its potential, colored lighting remains underutilized for behavior change. There’s a huge opportunity for creative, data-driven displays to inspire action. Let’s look at a few examples and ideas:

Examples of Behavior-Driven Lighting Systems

1. Ambient Orb: This classic device changes color to reflect energy consumption in a home. It’s simple, intuitive, and proven to drive behavior change.
2. Wattson: A sleeker version of the Ambient Orb, the Wattson connects to your home energy system and uses colored lighting to show your energy usage at a glance.
3. Car Dashboards: Many cars use color-coded indicators for fuel levels, engine health, and efficiency. The immediacy of these signals makes them effective and actionable.
4. Google Maps Traffic Reports: The color-coded traffic system—blue for smooth sailing, red for severe congestion—is a perfect example of how intuitive color feedback can guide decisions.

Ideas for Sustainability Lighting Systems

• Water Usage Taps: Install taps and showers with color-changing lights to indicate water use. Blue for optimal use, yellow when exceeding the economical zone, and red for wasteful behavior. Over time, this feedback creates muscle memory for sustainable water use.
• Bike Usage in Cities: Use lighting systems on shared bikes or docking stations to highlight usage patterns and encourage ridership during off-peak hours.
• Plant Health Indicators: Attach a small light to a potted plant that changes color when it’s time to water.

Why Ambient Light Beats Apps People Need to Open

While smartphone apps are versatile, they’re not ideal for real-time behavior change. Apps compete for attention with other notifications and tasks, requiring users to actively check them. In contrast, lighting systems provide passive, ambient feedback that’s always visible and actionable.

As one founder of a behavioral tech company put it, “Smartphones are terrible tools to change behavior.” Lighting systems, on the other hand, are simpler, more cost-effective, and more intuitive.

Building Your Own Light-Driven Device

Creating a light-based behavior change tool might sound daunting, but with today’s accessible hardware and tutorials, it’s easier than ever. Think of it like electronic LEGO: each component has a specific purpose and snaps together.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Decide What to Measure: Define the behavior or metric you want to track (e.g., energy use, water consumption, air quality).
2. Find a Sensor: Websites like SparkFun offer sensors for almost any measurement you need.
3. Get an Arduino: This microcontroller is the brain of your device.
4. Purchase Components: You’ll need lights, wires, and a breadboard.
5. Find a Tutorial: Check platforms like Instructables or Hackster.io for step-by-step guides on Arduino programming and lighting displays.
6. Join a Community: Look for local hardware hacking meetups or online forums to find mentors and troubleshoot.
7. Test and Iterate: Hook everything up and see if it works to influence behavior. Adjust as needed.

Lighting the Way to Change

Colored LED lights are more than just aesthetic additions. They’re powerful tools for driving sustainability outcomes, offering immediate and intuitive feedback that motivates action. Whether you’re reducing water waste, optimizing energy use, or promoting cycling, lighting systems provide a bright path forward—pun intended.

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