Print Email Facebook Twitter A social approach to energy metering: The energy mentor Part of: Knowledge Collaboration & Learning for Sustainable Innovation: 14th European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ERSCP) conference and the 6th Environmental Management for Sustainable Universities (EMSU) conference· list the conference papers Title A social approach to energy metering: The energy mentor Author Papantoniou, L. De Jong, A. Crul, M. Geelen, D. Van Lieshout, M. Date 2010-10-26 Abstract Industrial designers are used to applying their skills to modify or change users 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 peoples 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 meters 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. Subject energy feedbacksocial learningparticipatory designsocial practices To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f5568c51-9a62-48f2-bef6-d193011742ea Part of collection Conference proceedings Document type conference paper Rights (c) 2010 Papantoniou, L.; De Jong, A.; Crul, M.; Geelen, D.; Van Lieshout, M. Files PDF 358_Papantoniou.pdf 655.07 KB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:f5568c51-9a62-48f2-bef6-d193011742ea/datastream/OBJ/view