JISC

The aim of DUALL is to understand the role of ICT in reducing energy consumption of a large scale public building through the design of a socio-technical ICT interface connecting building users to their electricity consumption.

Specific objectives include:

1. design and test an ICT tool connecting building users to their energy consumption
2. engage in an innovative, deliberative upstream approach in the design of the application
3. understand the extent to which building users can impact the performance of the environment they are in

Project Methodology

A deliberately mixed methods - ‘socio-technical’ - approach is to be employed which reflects the skills and interests of the project team. Deliberative engagement will be used to ‘engage’ building users in conversations around energy, sustainability and ICT, the success of which will be assessed qualitatively through interviews and the ‘writetoreply’ approach, and quantitatively through the data gathered as a result of the software that is developed and the half-hourly metering data.

Anticipated outputs and outcomes

To identify the approaches that enables building users to access energy consumption data in order to change behaviour. Central to this is understanding the role that presenting real-time information on energy consumption to building users modifies or affects behaviour. Through the formation of a community of practice, building users will directly input into the creation of a web-based ICT feedback/reporting tool. It is hoped this will increase awareness of the issues surrounding energy, sustainability and climate change and the role users, and their energy consumption has. For the academics this will shed light on understanding behaviour change, the role of ICT and how public engagement can empower individuals to take greater responsibility for their actions.

Technology / Standards used

The centrepiece of DUALL will be the development and design of an ICT/web based interface that will provide building users with real-time information on the energy/ICT consumption of the Queens Building. It will translate the half-hourly meter readings from the building and present the information in a format that the community of practice have helped design.