In-home energy displays may fail to meet their objectives unless an element of fun is introduced, claims engineering services firm Aricent.
It is assumed that once consumers have energy displays in their homes, they will use them to save money, and will therefore save energy.
"Research says displays cut energy consumption by 5-15%, but this has not been tested on a wide scale," Aricent director of consulting Tim Morey told Electronics Weekly. "After doing the light bulb changes, we are not sure people look at the displays even monthly."
And, according to Morey, the upper 40% of earners will seldom bother to do anything to cut an energy bill by 15%.
He claims that the way to get people to cut consumption with an energy display is to make the whole thing into a game.
"We are studying the concept of games. For example, competing against similar sized homes in your area. This is not about money, it is about pure competition; introducing an element of fun," he explained.
Even if fun and games are not implemented, consumers are more likely to respond if energy consumption or the price of consumption is delivered appliance by appliance, said Morey: "Kilowatts are not interesting, but if I find the TV on stand-by costs a pound a day, I am interested."
Ultimately, Aricent proposes systems that automatically adaptively respond to patterns of occupant behaviour for minimal energy consumption.
For example: heating the house so it is just up to temperature when occupants arrive from work, and scheduling the washing machine and dishwasher to run when energy is cheapest as well as sequentially to cut peak load.
Aricent produces software, designs and protocols for communication applications including smart metering.
It is considering data systems and models for motivating consumers to save energy.