EnergyHome: leveraging housemate dynamics to motivate energy conservation

Abstract

We designed, implemented, and evaluated an iOS mobile application called EnergyHome to investigate how social interaction among housemates is related to their engagement in energy-saving practices. EnergyHome enables housemates to track personal energy-saving activities and to collaborate on saving energy together. Fourteen pairs of housemates used EnergyHome for a week. Afterwards, we interviewed each participant about their use of the app. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed using an iterative comparative approach. We identified two types of social dynamics in the way housemates used the app. In complementary dynamics, one housemate took the initiative to set energy-saving challenges and the other(s) followed. In symmetrical dynamics, housemates collectively set energy-saving challenges but no one tried to exert control. Based on these findings, we discuss design strategies to motivate energy conservation that take into account different social dynamics among housemates.