Interface design for residential energy feedback, in the Indian context

Global access to electricity has increased from 78.2% to 2000 to 90.5% in 2020, resulting in an increased electricity demand worldwide. Unlike commercial electricity consumption, which is managed by professionals, residential consumption is managed by the householders, who often lack insight into their energy usage. Quality feedback, including detailed energy consumption and tips, can lead to substantial household savings. There are several mediums for providing energy feedback, such as Short Message Service (SMS), postal letter, email, mobile app, and In-Home Display (IHD). Studies suggest that feedback through electronic media can save up to 20% of energy consumption. In this work, we aim to design mobile application interfaces that can maximize energy savings through effective feedback. The level of savings realized is dependent on the user’s preferences and understanding of the information presented. User preferences are subjective of their profile (e.g., age, occupation, income) and the cultural context (e.g., country). The possibility of energy reduction is high when the provided information matches the user preferred information for feedback. Smart homes have recently been included as an annexure in India’s building energy code (Eco Niwas Samhita 2021), indicating a growing demand for quality energy feedback in India. However, there is a lack of research that addresses what feedback information is suitable for Indian users. We conducted two questionnaire-based surveys, one to understand users’ preferences for feedback information and another to validate the designed mobile application interface screens. The surveys were conducted on two age groups, young and middle-aged adults. A Chi-Square Test of Independence was performed to assess the relationship between the user’s preference for feedback information and their age group. Participants identified total energy consumption, appliance level disaggregated information, energy-saving tips, goals, and historical consumption comparisons as the top five information types. In contrast, normative comparison was the least preferred information. The follow-up design validations suggest that the interface should be customizable to accommodate the varying preferences of users. The current findings will help customize the energy feedback display UI design as per the Indian population. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2023, The Author(s).