Eco-Mode Defaults and Energy Consumption in Shared University Devices: A Randomized Field Experiment

Last registered on December 26, 2025
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Eco-Mode Defaults and Energy Consumption in Shared University Devices: A Randomized Field Experiment
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0017168
Initial registration date
December 10, 2025

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
December 26, 2025, 1:59 AM EST

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Dario Monopoli
Affiliation
University of Zürich
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Chiara Lentsch
PI Affiliation
University of Zürich
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2026-02-16
End date
2026-07-31
Keywords
Behavior, Environment & Energy, Lab
Additional Keywords
energy efficiency, defaults, nudging, field experiment, sustainability, university operations
JEL code(s)
C93 (Field Experiments) Q41 (Energy: Demand and Supply; Prices) D91 (Intertemporal Consumer Choice; Time Preference; Behavioral Economics)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This randomized field experiment tests whether setting eco-mode as the default configuration on shared university devices reduces electricity consumption without harming usability. Devices used by students, staff, and researchers at the University of Zurich are randomly assigned daily to either an eco default or a standard default. Users may freely override settings. Primary outcome: daily device energy consumption (kWh). Secondary outcomes: override behavior and usability indicators (task time, errors, reprints, support tickets). Randomization is stratified by device type and lab unit and blocked by weekday. No personal data are collected; only device-level logs. The study contributes evidence on low-cost behavioral energy interventions in institutional environments.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Lentsch, Chiara and Dario Monopoli. 2025. "Eco-Mode Defaults and Energy Consumption in Shared University Devices: A Randomized Field Experiment." AEA RCT Registry. December 26. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.17168-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Devices are randomly assigned to either an eco-mode default or a standard default setting. Users can freely override the default. The intervention aims to test whether setting eco-mode as the default reduces energy consumption.
Intervention Start Date
2026-02-23
Intervention End Date
2026-05-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Daily electricity consumption per device (kWh/day)
Primary Outcomes (explanation)
Energy consumption is measured using device logs and smart-plug meters. Daily kWh values are aggregated at the device-day level.

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
• Override events (eco → standard)
• Usability indicators: task duration, error/reprint rate, support ticket frequency
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)
Override behavior is measured as the share of device sessions where the default setting is manually changed. Usability proxies are computed from device job logs and service ticket systems.

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Randomized field experiment where shared devices are randomly assigned to eco-default or standard-default configurations. Randomization occurs at the device level on a daily basis. Users retain full ability to override. Primary outcome is daily energy use (kWh/day).
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Computer randomization via pre-generated assignment schedule blocked by weekday
Randomization Unit
Device, randomized at the device-day level
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
~40 devices (final number may vary depending on network access)
Sample size: planned number of observations
~40 devices × ~60 treatment days ≈ ~2,400 device-day observations
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
Approximately 50% of device-days assigned to eco-default and 50% to standard-default (balanced by weekday and stratified by device type)
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
IRB Approval Date
IRB Approval Number
Analysis Plan

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