Not 1, but 2 design concepts were delivered by our two design colleagues Ramya Krishnan and Leonie Vaccaro as part of finalising their Industrial Design studies at Eindhoven University of Technology.
1. WATTSON by Leonie Vaccaro
“More and more people are getting solar panels. In 2035 most people might produce their own energy. However the most energy is produced during the day, whereas energy use peaks in the morning and the evening – these energy surpluses can be traded. This is where the Wattson comes in. It facilitates tangible energy trading, by allowing users to make physical trades through the help of a book and informing them about their predicted energy use and energy production. These physical trades aim to improve the relationship in the community and provide an intuitive analogue alternative to the complex digital energy trading system.”
2. Energy coaching toolkit by Ramya Krishnan
“Energy coaching initiatives are often normative and focus on the material deprivations of energy poverty, such as lack of finances or robust infrastructure. However, there are non-material deprivation aspects that are foreshadowed, such as emotional engagement, health and wellbeing, poor social relations and the general lack of know-how in navigating these complex systems. These non-material deprivations arise either as a cause or an effect of energy poverty and reinforce a negative, vicious cycle.
The designed toolkit aims to help energy coaches navigate non-material deprivations of energy poverty. The toolkit addresses these aspects through tools such as energy jargon glossary cards, experience-sharing conversation prompts and a digital database for energy coaches to help households connect to allied support services.”
Get in touch to know more about these innovative analogue support measures!
