A social approach to energy metering

Abstract

Industrial designers are used to applying their skills to modify or change user’s behaviour, inducing attributes to the product to empower/inhibit the use into a certain direction (e.g. scripts). These approaches might bring the desired results, and modify behaviour to one that favors sustainability. Such approaches, however, have a major defect, because they diminish the agency of the user. As a result they cannot help the user to shift to a discursive level and actively start thinking about energy. This paper presents a qualitative study of 8 Dutch households, whose occupants used a clipon energy-meter for a month and made significant changes to their practices in order to be more environmentally responsible. The primary aim of the study was to explore how energy feedback and social learning affect people’s understanding, attitudes and behaviour. A participatory approach followed applying conventional ethnographic methods in order to gain insights on what people “say, think, do and know” about energy consumption in their day-to-day practices. The meters had a dramatic effect on the participants’ understanding and awareness of the electricity they use and showed conscious changes in how the participants take showers, cook, wash and so on. Nonetheless, the meter’s novelty effect faded soon. In probes and focus groups the participants indicated the need to feel more in control of their energy usage and the will to collaborate with others to share knowledge and ideas. Based on these findings a concept of social software that complements the smart meters is proposed.