Digital energy visualizations in the workplace: the e-Genie tool. Issue 3 (3rd April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Spence, Alexa; Goulden, Murray; Leygue, Caroline; Banks, Nick; Bedwell, Ben; Jewell, Mike; Yang, Rayoung; Ferguson, Eamonn
• Is Part Of: Building research and information. Volume 46:Issue 3(2018)
• Page Start: 272
• Page End: 283
• Publication Date: 2018-04-03
• Subjects: behaviour change -- data visualization -- digital technologies -- energy demand -- energy literacy -- energy reduction -- energy-use behaviour -- feedback -- non-domestic buildings -- occupants -- user engagement -- workplace; Building -- Periodicals; Building -- Research -- Periodicals; 690.015
• DOI: 10.1080/09613218.2018.1409569
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0961-3218

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Building management systems are designed for energy managers; there are few energy-feedback systems designed to engage staff. A tool, known as e-Genie, was created with the purpose of engaging workplace occupants with energy data and supporting them to take action to reduce energy use. Building on research insights within the field, e-Genie's novel approach encourages users to make plans to meet energy-saving goals, supports discussion and considers social energy behaviours ( e.g. discussing energy issues, taking part in campaigns) as well as individual actions. A field-based study of e-Genie indicated that visualizations of energy data were engaging and that the discussion 'Pinboard' was particularly popular. Pre- and post-survey ( N = 77) evaluation of users indicated that people were significantly more concerned about energy issues and reported engaging more in social energy behaviour after about two weeks of e-Genie being installed. Concurrently, objective measures of electricity use decreased over the same period, and continued decreasing over subsequent weeks. Indications are that occupant-facing energy-feedback visualizations can be successful in reducing energy use in the workplace; furthermore, supporting social energy behaviour in the workplace is likely to be a useful direction for promoting action.