Making it not too obvious: the effect of ambient light feedback on space heating energy consumption

Abstract

Earlier research investigating persuasive technology-technology designed to influence human behavior or attitude-indicates that persuasive technology can stimulate energy-efficient behavior. However, most applications of persuasive technology need people's focal attention to be successful, and people may often not have these cognitive resources available. The current research investigates a form of persuasive technology that is less obvious and easier to process: ambient lighting as persuasive technology. In an experimental study, participants could conserve energy while setting temperatures on a central heating panel and receive feedback about their energy consumption in each task. We tested the effect of feedback through a lamp that gradually changed color dependent on energy consumption and compared these effects to more widely used factual feedback. Half of the participants received lighting feedback, and half of the participants received numerical feedback. To investigate whether ambient feedback is easier to process than numerical feedback, half of the participants performed a cognitive load task in addition to the focal task. Results indicated that feedback through lighting has stronger persuasive effects than numerical feedback. Furthermore, ambient lighting feedback seemed easier to process than numerical feedback because cognitive load interfered with processing numerical feedback, but not with processing lighting feedback. Implications for theory and design of energy consumption feedback systems, persuasive lighting, and (ambient) persuasive technology are discussed.

Perspectives on quantifying and influencing household metabolism

“…Adopting a dual-process model of decision-making and considering complementary policies such as those suggested by Menzel (2013) would provide one possible opportunity for further research at the interface of household metabolism. Particularly eco-feedback and persuasive technology in general could target intuition and emotion rather than reasoning, which would be in line with evidence that ambient feedback is more effective than factual feedback (Maan et al 2011). Note that it may also be illustrative to think about how eco-feedback can be obtained through non-technical means, for instance through more local supply chains where environmental and social impacts are more tangible and visible to consumers.…”

“…numerical consumption feedback) and ambient feedback (i.e. changing light color) (Maan et al 2011), or assessed whether eco-feedback gives rise to any significant increase or decrease in household energy consumption (Pereira et al 2013). Fischer (2008) reports that eco-feedback on energy consumption (electricity in particular) usually seems to work, leading to savings between 5 and 12%, but acknowledges that some studies This is the accepted manuscript of an article published in the Journal of Environmental Planning and Management.…”

Preface to the special issue on personalization and behavior change

“…-Increasing similarity between the user and the persuasive technology to improve the effectiveness of trust-related cues: e.g., by increasing appearance (facial) similarity (Verberne et al 2013), or emphasizing overlap in goals between user and system (Verberne et al 2012). -Fitting the extent to which a persuasive strategy needs cognitive processing to the cognitive processing capacity a user has available (Maan et al 2011). …”

Automated blinds with light feedback to increase occupant satisfaction and energy saving

“…The provisioning of information and enhanced predictably are expected to contribute to increased perception of control and higher satisfaction with the automated blind system. Moreover, in an earlier study by Maan and others [15]; ambient light feedback was found to influence users' behaviour. They tested the effect of feedback provided by a lighting device that gradually changed its colour dependent on energy consumption and compared it with the effect of numerical feedback.…”