TBWA India & Sanctuary Asia Develops an Energy Saving App called 'Roaming Switch'

TBWA India, in support with Sanctuary Asia have devised ‘Roaming Switch’ – a simple, free to download, energy saving mobile app. Roaming Switch allows one to switch off his computer from wherever one is, be it the corner store or a beach far away from the city. All one needs to do is, download the mobile app, pair it with the desktop/laptop, enter the pairing key generated by the mobile app and enjoy total control over the devices even from afar. Not only does one help conserve energy, it also saves money in the process. The conserved energy reflects on the electricity bills. Currently, Roaming Switch is available for all Android users.

The app also allows to schedule auto-shutdowns and set reminders to notify that the computer is on. Roaming Switch, if used by individuals and organisations, can lead to enormous energy conservation. And, with its reminder options, it feels like a familiar throwback to a more resource-friendly era, when mothers and grandmothers would issue warnings to switch off lights and fans.

Speaking on the occasion Parixit Bhattacharya, Chief Creative Officer of TBWA India said: "Roaming Switch is yet another utility we have created to help change behaviour for the greater good. Idle computers consume a staggering amount of electricity cumulatively. If each of us switched off our computers more often, it will have a significant positive impact."

The App is inspired by An experiment conducted in the US wherein a standard desktop computer was used with an intelligent power meter to measure energy usage, which revealed that 545.792 kWh of power is wasted annually by a single CPU that is kept switched on even when the computer is idle. Add to that the power consumed by the monitor, and the annual energy wastage cost of the computer rises to $96.64. For a company with even 100 employees, that means $9,664 worth of wasted energy. (Average Energy cost per Kwh = 11 cents, as of November 2012 in the US.)