Intelligent and Green? Smart Homes and Sustainability from a User Perspective Michael Ornetzeder Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI) Harald Rohracher Inter-University Research Centre for Technology, Work and Culture (IFF/IFZ) IAPS 18, Vienna 2004

Guiding Questions What is the potential of building automation to contribute to sustainability in buildings? (with a focus on Austrian situation) How do potential users perceive sustainable applications of Smart Homes? How are people actually using these technologies? How could user perspectives be better integrated into the design of smart homes?

Smart Home ICTs have been installed to help control a variety of functions and to provide communications with the world outside Combination of appliances, information technology and services into integrated concepts

eBox Load Management

The Kitchen Project

Research Strategy Socio-technical mapping of Smart Homes –Semi-structured interviews with stakeholders (producers, builders, energy experts): Critical issues –Interviews with people living in Smart Homes: Practices of use –Focus groups with users of sustainable buildings Constructive Technology Assessment (CTA) –Integrating various actor groups into design process –Joint vision building –Three consecutive workshops with ‘smart home’ producers and suppliers; architects; energy experts; consumer associations + follow up in focus groups

A Socio-Technical System in Disarray Smart Homes and energy efficient buildings are focal points of rather separated communities ‚Ecologists‘ in the first place think of many other (more effective) measures to save energy Producers: guiding vision of high-tech ‚automobile‘ (command and control) Task to build smart and at the same time highly energy efficient homes is regarded as too complex (for a broader market) Difficult to ‚transport‘ use-value of technology

User Perspectives Energy issues from a users’ point of view –Users are often interested in energy saving, but it‘s not decisive for the installation of SH –Energy feedback (visualisation) is seen as an interesting tool, but few people would pay for it –Scepticism about load management (not many potentials, restriction of autonomy) Focus on ‘single’ uses, no need for integrated solutions Concern about data security issues (Internet etc.) For ‚Smart Home‘-supporters energy saving often is important at a rhetorical level - comfort, security, and safety is much more decisive

Intelligent and Green? Potential energy efficiency applications of Smart Homes do exist However, with present conditions such uses do not seem very likely –No alignment of innovation players –Users hardly see added value of Smart Homes –Other uses more interesting than energy efficiency (potential drivers for wide dissemination) Challenges for R&D policy –Keeping options open for energy applications –Gaining experiences with practices of use

Michael Ornetzeder Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI) Linke Wienzeile Vienna, Austria