1. The Living Lab
Enhancing environmental
citizenship and reducing
energy consumption through
creative engagement with
building users
Monica Pianosi :: Supervisors :: Dr. Richard Bull :: Prof. Martin Rieser

2. Background
The case study Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• Queens Building in De Montfort University
• Probably expanding to DMU: Greenview project
case study
• 5 buildings: Queens Building, Kimberlin Library,
Hugh Aston, IOCT, Campus Centre
• 5 control buildings

3. The importance of the built Background
environment Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• The building sector consume 40% of
total energy in Europe
• “Building don`t use energy, people do”
(Janda 2011)
• Existing research into behaviour have
focused into domestic consumption
• In the workplace context the concept of
responsibility is central

4. Background
Universities as a public good Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• “Universities must function as places of research
and learning for sustainable development” (UN
DESD 2005)
• DMU has made a commitment to bring
sustainability into the heart of its organisation
- Concrete intervention on the built environment
- Transforming staff and students in responsible
environmental citizens

5. Smart building or smart Background
people? Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
Fully automated buildings Manually controlled buildings
• Interactivity • People do not like living in
entirely artificial, controlled
• Combining real and virtual environment
• Reduce energy consumption • Users wish to alter the system
• Complex management system • Comfort arises when
may act as a barrier rather perceived level of control is
than aids high
• A flexible system
• Some control left to occupants
• Good interaction between occupants and management

6. Background
Behaviour-change Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• Behaviour has a fundamental role in defining the
impact that humanity has on the environment
• Environmentally significant behaviours are defined
by the impact they have on the environment
• There is a large range of factors that affect
behaviour: personal motivation, collective
practice, peer pressure, habits, subjective norms,
social context

7. Background
Is information enough? Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• Traditionally attempt to change people`s attitude
and behaviour have looked at an educational
system
• Theories are based on an `information-deficit
model` following the assumption that providing
people with information would make them change
behaviours
• Unfortunately, information by itself is inadequate
to tackle behaviour-change issue

8. Background
The participatory approach Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• Originally applied to urban and territorial planning
• Considered capable of helping society to change
their attitude and their actions toward a pro-
environmental model
• Based on the idea that lay public should be
involved in decision-making processes
• Establishment of a new relationship between
experts and lay people comprehending of an issue
• Enhancement of democracy

9. Background
Environmental citizenship Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• Citizens have rights and duties not only towards
other human beings, but also towards the
biosphere
• The issue of control in the built environment is also
an issue of democracy
• Looking for a long-term change in attitudes and
behaviours

10. Background
Web 2.0 Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• The term refers to web-applications that facilitate
participatory information sharing, interoperability,
user-centred design and collaboration on the Web
• This is the way today new lay knowledge is created
• Ordinary people have become ‘citizens-journalist’ using
social media tools to tell the world their stories, in this
way attracting the world’s attention and sometimes
mobilising protests (Arab spring 2011)

11. Link between participatory Background
processes and social media Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
Public participation Social media
process • Bottom-up phenomenon
• Bottom-up approach • Everyone can participate
• Citizen knowledge in the online discussion
• Access to information • Everybody have access
• Equality to `instant` information
• Information is shared
without geographical
and demographical
constraints

12. Background
Visualising energy Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• By its nature, ‘energy’ is an abstract and invisible force
that is conceptualised or commonly defined in a
number of different ways
• Feedback are essential because people lack the
awareness and understanding about how their everyday
behaviours affect the environment
• Effective feedback :
– Comparison over various time
– Frequently updated
– Interactive
– Appliance specific level

13. Background
Philosophical assumptions Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
“Nihil est in intellectu quod prius non fuerit in sensu”
Thomas Aquinas
• Epistemological approach: Interpretivism
“The world... Is constituted in one way or another as
people talk it, write it and argue it”
Jonathan Potter
• Ontological approach: Constructivism

14. Background
Research methodology Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• Action research
– The researcher is actively involved
– The research is a process linking theory and practice
• The Living Lab
– A living lab is a user-centred, open-innovation ecosystem
– The concept is based on a systematic user co-creation,
exploration, experimentation and evaluation of
innovative ideas, scenarios, concepts and technological
artefacts

15. Background
Methods Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• Mixed methods
– Baseline survey
– In-depth interviews
– Focus groups
– Greenview web and mobile phone application
• The Living Lab
– Creation of DMU living lab (heterogeneous group of people)
– Engage them in focus group to talk about their views and
attitudes
– Engage them through the use of a web and mobile phone
application (Greenview) for visualising energy consumption

16. Background
The Greenview app Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• Theoretical background
– Relevance of feedback to reduce energy use (Darby
2006)
– Stimulate competition and cooperation between
building users (Cowley et al. 2010)
– Endangered species attachment (Dillahunt et al.
2008)
– Augmented reality: the possibility of showing
geographically located information (Layar and
Empedia)

17. The Greenview app

18. Background
Aims and objective Theory
Methodology
Aim: Conclusion
• Improve the understanding of behaviour-change strategies in the non-
domestic built environment context
Objectives:
• To identify how individuals interact with energy in the workplace
• To review the current methods of communicating and engaging individuals in
the workplace in energy reduction initiatives
• To understand the influences on individual behaviours in the workplace
• To trial and test a novel web 2.0 tool to deliver energy consumption feedback
to occupants in a UK non-domestic case study building
• Understand the impact of building users on workplace energy reduction and to
discover a replicable model/principles for behaviour change strategies in the
built environment, therefore to provide recommendations to inform the
future deployment of energy-reduction strategies in UK non-domestic
buildings.
• Ascertain the key features of a web 2.0 tool to enhance public engagement
and behaviour-change initiatives in a UK non-domestic case study building

19. Background
Original contribution Theory
Methodology
Conclusion
• Focusing on pro-environmental behaviours as they
are performed in the workplace
• Applying insights from the Public Participation
Theory to the task of energy reduction behaviours
• Creating the link between public participation
theory and web 2.0 tools and social media
• Employing an action research methodology