Domesticating Energy-Monitoring Systems: Challenges and Design Concerns

Multi-level reconfigurable self-organization in overlay services

“…Environmental concerns are not always adequate to guarantee a high level of participation and engagement [Hammerstrom, 2007, Sundramoorthy et al, 2011. Incentives should be provided mainly by utilities via demand/response programs [Albadi andEl-Saadany, 2008, Cappers et al, 2010].…”

“…Incentives should be provided mainly by utilities via demand/response programs [Albadi andEl-Saadany, 2008, Cappers et al, 2010]. However, energy policies may enforce a certain or minimum level of engagement such as the policies of the UK government that mandate all British households equipped with smart meters by 2020 [Sundramoorthy et al, 2011]. An incentive may concern a benefit of lower pricing or other economic revenue o ered as a result of allowing a level of control in the energy consumption for a predefined period of time that is negotiated between the consumers and their utility companies.…”

The Effectiveness of Energy Feedback for Conservation and Peak Demand: A Literature Review

“…In their study, Kempton and Layne [44] found that 70% of their participants had at some time discussed their bills with other people, including their neighbours. More recently, participants of another study indicated their interest in sharing energy-consumption feedback with family and friends [49]. It has been suggested that neighbour-based comparisons may be meaningful as neighbours tend to report similar attitudes and behaviours [Beaman and Vaske cited in 50].…”

“…In her review, Fischer [45] found that some of the most effective studies often contained appliance specific detail. However, appliance-monitoring systems are expensive and require user configuration [49]. Sundramoorthy and colleagues [49] found in their study that participants were able to attribute dips and curves in the load to particular appliances and activities thereby possibly negating the need and therefore the cost of specific appliance-monitoring.…”

“…Customisation seems to be important for conservation tips or advice to be effective [49]. In one study a customised newsletter including conservation tips was distributed with presumably customised consumption information and customers reported that the tips were the most useful in helping them to conserve [61].…”