In 1996, the Australian company, Kambrook worked with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) to try and reduce the energy use of the kettle and conserve water.

The RMIT designers applied user centred research techniques to observe the way in which the kettle was used. Their observations revealed that the kettle was often overfilled and that a typical user often boiled the kettle, walked away to do something else and then re-boiled the kettle on their return.

"it was only when the researchers and designers observed how consumers used the kettle that they started to define environmental improvements"[1].

The designers used two eco-feedback mechanisms to persuade the user to change their behaviour; a temperature gauge to indicate suitability of the water for making tea or coffee and a clearer volume indicator which was relocated to the top of the jug. They also introduced a double wall thickness to insulate the kettle to help retain heat and reduce the need to re-boil the kettle [2].