Presented May 6th, 2010 at SFU Exchange in Vancouver, BC.

1. DESIGNING AN INTERACTIVE
ECOSYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Johnny Rodgers
MSc Candidate
School of Interactive Arts + Technology
http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca
SFU Exchange
May 6th, 2010

2. INTRODUCTION
• My research aims to make the consumption of
residential resources visible in order to
support informed decision-making
• Approaches:
• Information visualization
• Human-computer interaction
• Ubiquitous computing
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

3. ENGAGING RESIDENTS
• Feedback can reduce energy consumption by
5-20% from baseline
• Providing more information is only part of the
solution
• Feedback must be contextualized, and
sensitive to constraints of setting
R.D. Katzev and T.R. Johnson, Promoting energy conservation: An analysis of behavioural research, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1987.
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

4. TOOLS: Dashboards & Analytic Interfaces
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

5. TOOLS: Point-of-consumption Feedback
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

6. TOOLS: Mobile Tools
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

7. TOOLS: ‘Smart’ Appliances
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

8. TOOLS: Ambient & Artistic Displays
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

9. MOTIVATING CHANGE
• Feedback is necessary but not sufficient
• Penalties (high prices) work better than rewards
• Intrinsic incentives (pleasures of conservation) work better
than penalties or prizes
• Social influences are key
• Combinations of strategies work best
• For long-term change, new norms must be adopted
R.D. Katzev and T.R. Johnson, Promoting energy conservation: An analysis of behavioural research, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1987.
W. Abrahamse, L. Steg, C. Vlek, T. Rothengatter, "A review of intervention studies aimed at household energy conservation" Journal
of Environmental Psychology, 25 (3), pp. 273-291, 2005.
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

10. FINDINGS
• Combine different motivational techniques in order to amplify
the effects of each
• Address multiple perspectives on energy conservation by
catering to various motivations and mental models
• Provide multiple methods of access to the same information
• Support in-the-moment, situated decision-making as well as
long-term planning
• Define baselines of energy consumption appropriate to
individual circumstances
• Combine feedback with opportunities for change
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

11. AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH
• Information when and where it’s needed
• Integrated with the home
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

12. ALIS: AWARE LIVING INTERFACE SYSTEM
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

13. AMBIENT & ARTISTIC FEEDBACK
• Display information that is important but not
critical
• Can move from the periphery to the focus of
attention and back again
• Provide subtle changes to reflect updates
• Are aesthetically pleasing and environmentally
appropriate
Z. Pousman, J. Stasko, "A taxonomy of ambient information systems: Four patterns of design," Proc. Advanced Visual Interfaces, pp. 67–74, 2006.
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

14. PROTOTYPE: Ambient Canvas
• Feedback on residential resource use: energy,
water, natural gas
• Embedded in kitchen backsplash of West House
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

15. EXAMPLE: Water Use Feedback
• Average Canadian uses 335L of water per day
• Ambient Canvas ‘fills up’ as water is used
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

16. NEXT STEPS
• Further refinement and development of
prototypes
• Experimental evaluation of ambient
and artistic displays
• Longitudinal studies in West House
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010

17. THANK YOU
Thanks to our many sponsors and partners on the North House and
West House projects, and especially to all of my incredible
teammates and collaborators during this research!
Johnny Rodgers
MSc Candidate
School of Interactive Arts + Technology
http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca
jgr3@sfu.ca
Designing an interactive ecosystem for sustainable living
Johnny Rodgers • MSc Candidate • School of Interactive Arts + Technology • http://johnny.hcssl.iat.sfu.ca • SFU Exchange • May 6th, 2010