The Active House in SRS Results and findings

1. The Active House in SRSResults and findings Anders NilssonDivision of Energy, Resources, and InfrastructureDepartment of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and EngineeringSchool of Architecture and the Built Environment KTH Royal Institute of Technology

2. Research aim and evaluation objectives • The role of consumers in the smart grid environment? • Potential to influence household energy use for increased energy efficiency and demand flexibility? • Attitudes, motivations, and obstacles for users to engage to HEMS and change energy-use behavior?

3. Scope and methodology • 154 smart home households in SRS • 123 reference households in SRS • Smart meter energy consumption data analysis • Surveys and in-depth interviews • January 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018

4. The Active House in SRS Home Energy Management System (HEMS)

5. Price and environmental signal

6. Theoretical background How to influence household energy consumption? Energy feedback cause-effect chain (Wilhite & Ling, 1995) Increased feedback ↓ Increased awareness or knowledge ↓ Changes in energy-use behavior ↓ Decrease in consumption

7. Key results and findings Results from the energy consumption data analysis

8. Key results and findings Mean changes in electricity use

9. Key results and findings Mean changes in electricity use

10. Key results and findings Mean changes in electricity use: Price vs. environmental signals

11. Key results and findings Mean changes in electricity use: By type of household

12. Key results and findings In-depth interviews Energy feedback cause-effect chain (Wilhite & Ling, 1995) Increased feedback ↓ Increased awareness or knowledge ↓ Changes in energy-use behavior ↓ Decrease in consumption

13. Key results and findings In-depth interviews • Summary of obstacles: • Weak economic incentive

14. Key results and findings In-depth interviews • Summary of obstacles: • Weak economic incentive • Difficulties to interpret/relate to feedback

15. Key results and findings In-depth interviews • Summary of obstacles: • Weak economic incentive • Difficulties to interpret/relate to feedback • Lack of perceived control

16. Key results and findings In-depth interviews • Summary of obstacles: • Weak economic incentive • Difficulties to interpret/relate to feedback • Lack of perceived control • Disagreements and conflicting attitudes

17. Conclusions, limitations, and future research • HEMS can influence household energy consumption – but its potential is limited by several behavioral aspects • Small sample size, homogenous population, and short time period → Limited generalizability → More and larger case studies needed • Limitations in data availability → Uncertainties in results and outcomes → Robust baselines and appliance-specific data needed

18. Research publications • Household responsiveness to residential demand response strategies: Results and policy implications from a Swedish field study. Energy Policy 122: 273-286. • Smart homes, home energy management systems and real-time feedback: Lessons for influencing household energy consuming from a Swedish field study. Energy and Buildings 179: 15-25.  • Energy Feedback and Demand Response Strategies – Exploring Household Engagement and Response using a Mixed Methods Approach. Doctoral Thesis, KTH Royal Institute of Technology. • anders.nilsson@abe.kth.se

19. Thank you!