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Encourage energy awareness

Degree Project 2025

This project explores how to increase people’s awareness of energy usage in the homes of the future. As energy demand continues to rise, it becomes increasingly important to use energy efficiently, not only to save money but also to reduce environmental impact. Incentives for energy monitoring will grow in the future as people start to produce, store, and share their own energy. The result is a lantern placed in the home that builds on positive reinforcement, using light to visualize how efficiently energy is being used. This gives the user a tangible understanding of the household’s energy usage. The physical hub is combined with an app that presents more detailed information displayed in layers. This allows people with different levels of interest and knowledge to engage. The solution is made to integrate into the home in a seamless way. Edge computing has also been considered. This makes the solution secure since data is processed locally.

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Design Problem

Few people are aware of their own energy consumption. Surveys and interviews showed that many people find the topic difficult to understand. The aim was to create a tool that fits into everyday life and appeals to a wide range of users. Finding ways to interact with and manage energy will become more important in the future, along with making everyone in a household aware of their usage.

Method

The project followed the "Double Diamond" design process. The research phase included surveys and interviews with users which showed low awareness and interest in energy use. During the process, I have been in contact with Umeå Energi for information regarding people’s relationship with energy and consumption. I have also received input from an industrial designer at Samsung Electronics, providing information about technical possibilities and mentoring during the design process. Different concepts were developed and evaluated through the creation of prototypes and sketches. During the design process, I have strived to use a minimal amount of material to minimize the environmental impact of production of the physical hub.

Result

The final concept is a lantern that visualizes household energy usage through changes in light intensity and color. A brighter light signals efficient energy use, encouraging positive behavior and contributes to the ambience in the home. The product uses local data processing, making it both secure and reliable. The lamp is paired with an app that displays information through layers. The first layer provides the same information as the physical product. The different layers allow people with different levels of interest and experience to engage. Through functions in the app, people are able to get an overview but also impact their consumption and affect their savings through features. The concept is inspired by the historical use of lanterns to guide people.