Energy-thrift: Strategies to connect people through real-time visualisations of electricity consumption in social networks

Overview

Project status: In progress

My research examines the psychology of human-computer interaction, considering much of how people behave in public places and among groups. Moreover my research seeks to use technology to provide the most suitable interface for the visual display of quantitative information.

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Grantor
  • Australian Postgraduate Award
  • NICTA top-up scholarship
  • Queensland Government Smart Futures Fellowship (via Assoc. Prof. Marcus Foth)
  • QUT Strategic Links with Industry Scheme (pending)
Research leader
Organisational unit
Lead unit Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation Other units
Start date
1st February 2009
End date
1st February 2012
Research area
Sustainability and innovation in design
Keywords
social networks, sustainability
 

Details

Abstract

My research seeks to engender an attitudinal shift towards more informed energy conservation, achieved through the installation of, and development work centred on, situated real-time electricity meters. The initial study population will be drawn from Brisbane residents currently using the Queensland Government ClimateSmart Home Service subsidised real-time electricity meters 'in the wild'.

In addition, the initiatives currently being rolled out by the QUT Sustainability working group are supplementary focus of the study.

Project description

The aim of this research is to examine and understand whether existing data visualisation methods (be they numeric, historical, graph based, locative, or make use of animated pedagogical agents) are in fact having an impact. Contingent upon the findings of this review is the subsequent design and development of data visualisation software capable of interpreting electricity monitoring information from real world devices installed in participant households.

The interpreted information will be provided via social platforms, enabling participants to share, collaborate, compete and communicate. The goal is to develop a self-sustaining, persistent electricity conserving community.

Publications and output

The likely outcomes of this research will take the form of an energy-related behavioural framework, and a collaborative electricity application engaging users. The study will enable and encourage energy consumers to gauge and moderate their electricity consumption through easily understandable information interfaces.

Through the use of a social application consumers may conduct their own research, share, collaborate and compete naturally with other consumers using their own energy consumption data. The study seeks to make energy use a tangible action; attaching the use of an appliance with some cost in electricity readily available for assessment.