The online touch point in this case allows the user to acquire enough knowledge to take conscious and informed decisions of how to interact intelligently with energy sources within their living space. This tool was less about making interactive choices within the service and more about making choices based on the knowledge they acquired through the service.

In collaboration with ASK4 this service employed social and human factors to enable reduced energy consumption. This tool was less about users making interactive choices within the service and more about promoting behaviour choices based on the knowledge acquired through the service.

One big issue for multi-occupancy blocks of flats is the difficulty of effectively managing reduced energy consumption. Ask4 developed a system of monitoring energy consumption at each distribution board within blocks that could be fitted with minimal work or cost. However Ask4 then needed to develop an effective method for presenting this information to their users (mainly students) in order to encourage them to reduce their energy consumption. In this case the means of influence is through the residents’ internet portal. An initial banner on the home page attracted the user's attention, and appealed to the users on an emotional level in order to engage them.  The user were directed to the energy monitoring panel.

This panel was designed to encourage collective ownership of energy consumption through personalisation, and motivate energy reduction through comparative and competitive visualisations. The panel lead users onto greater awareness of mapping daily activities to their implications energy for usage. Through the same panel ownership and habitualised was encouraged through the ability to information about effective means of reducing energy.

ASK4's initiative was partially supported by the Technology Strategy Board.

Researchers involved

Dr Chris Roast - Reader in HCI and Knowledge Transfer Lead (Digital and Design)

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