In a team of ten at Simon Fraser University, developed interaction design concepts and specifications to support ecological awareness and actions for solar house concept. The vision for the project is to support ecological awareness and actions to achieve and maintain a net zero footprint by understanding the relationships between themselves, the community, the home, and the environment. Worked with architects and engineers from Waterloo University and Ryerson University. Project is ongoing and solar house expected to debut at the Solar Decathlon in Washington in 2009.
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2009 solar decathlon
Simple, minimal, and ubiquitous
A design goal for each interaction with the system is to avoid complexity by making each component understandable at first glance and first interaction; to provide simple functionality, and to create usefulness by using consistent metaphors and components of the system throughout the home and property.
Awareness through relationships
Create awareness of energy use and energy saving strategies through intuitive or direct relationships and metaphors.
For example, a goal might be for residents to feel they have a living relationship with the home such that the home expresses its energy and system states in ongoing and understandable ways. Another example is that a goal may be that a resident is aware of their energy consumption and savings by comparing to others in their community, in addition to learning about and helping others with energy saving actions like carpooling notices.
Adaptivity
The goal is to reflect and leverage the dynamic behaviors behind energy use and savings, for the system to learn and adapt to the patterns of behavior of the occupants.
For example, a goal might be for the interface to make recommendations on use of major appliances by adapting to the residents patterns of domestic routines.
Rewards and enjoyment
Create an environment that rewards the residents with pleasant sensory events and experiences based on achieving and exceeding net zero goals.
A design goal for each interaction with the system is to avoid complexity by making each component understandable at first glance and first interaction; to provide simple functionality, and to create usefulness by using consistent metaphors and components of the system throughout the home and property.
Awareness through relationships
Create awareness of energy use and energy saving strategies through intuitive or direct relationships and metaphors.
For example, a goal might be for residents to feel they have a living relationship with the home such that the home expresses its energy and system states in ongoing and understandable ways. Another example is that a goal may be that a resident is aware of their energy consumption and savings by comparing to others in their community, in addition to learning about and helping others with energy saving actions like carpooling notices.
Adaptivity
The goal is to reflect and leverage the dynamic behaviors behind energy use and savings, for the system to learn and adapt to the patterns of behavior of the occupants.
For example, a goal might be for the interface to make recommendations on use of major appliances by adapting to the residents patterns of domestic routines.
Rewards and enjoyment
Create an environment that rewards the residents with pleasant sensory events and experiences based on achieving and exceeding net zero goals.
Ambient iconic representation of the status of different components and systems of the house. We want to display relevant at-a-glance information for inhabitants to be aware of what is happening in the house. This may include such information as: Air quality, grid/solar electricity, water use, home issues, and heating.
Light switch designed to make users aware of energy level of the house. The dimmer
will become harder to twist when the house’s energy load is high. Every time someone goes to turn on a device controlled by this switch, they will be given a subtle indication of what state the house (or specific object) is in.
Ambient iconic representation of energy usage and forecast for particular zones in the
home. Representation will be in the form of leaves, and will indicate whether the current day or any of the consecutive days would be the best day to run that appliance.
Early prototype / Playing with thermochromatic ink as the display material
Early prototype / Playing with thermochromatic ink as the display material
Power outlets that visually inform how much energy is currently being consumed. This will let users see how much energy each appliance/device is using easily, even if they are unplugged. The goal is to indirectly educate people about "vampire power."
