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Finding faults and influencing consumption: the role of in-home energy feedback displays in managing high-tech homes

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Abstract

In the context of reducing household greenhouse gas emissions, in-home energy feedback displays have been trialled as a mechanism to assist households to monitor and change energy-use behaviour. As we move towards technology-rich zero-energy homes, the challenge of managing energy use and electricity generation systems will increase and a new role for in-home feedback displays may emerge. This paper describes the in-home display and monitoring systems installed in a near-net zero-energy residential estate and provides a summary of the energy-use data generated by the systems. It also draws on 25 in-depth interviews to discuss the residents’ attitudes towards, and experiences interacting with, the in-home feedback display and energy management system. Residents describe how the feedback displays assist them to understand their end-use energy behaviour, reduce net energy use and assess whether household appliances and renewable energy systems are operating correctly. The role of energy system fault identification is highlighted by many interviewees, where the feedback displays provide the means to monitor system performance, identify system failures and maintain low-energy-use outcomes.

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Notes

  1. The star rating indicates the dwelling’s predicted annual heating and cooling requirement to maintain thermal comfort, which is determined by a computer program that considers the dwelling’s fabric and form, and assumed user behavioural patterns for a nominated climate year (see www.nathers.gov.au). A star rating of 10 means that that no external heating or cooling is required, whilst a star rating of 0 means that the building shell does practically nothing to reduce the discomfort of hot or cold weather.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the support provided by Renewal SA and the residents of Lochiel Park. Finally, the authors also wish to thank Dr. Anne Sharp, University of South Australia, for her valuable advice and assistance in shaping the Lochiel Park residents’ interview design. All electronic and interview data used in this study has been gathered with the expressed permission of the residents.

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  1. Barbara Hardy Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

    Stephen Berry, David Whaley, Wasim Saman & Kathryn Davidson

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  1. Stephen Berry
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Correspondence to Stephen Berry.

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Berry, S., Whaley, D., Saman, W. et al. Finding faults and influencing consumption: the role of in-home energy feedback displays in managing high-tech homes. Energy Efficiency 10, 787–807 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-016-9489-9

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