Test of a Home Energy Management System at E.ON - an evaluation of users' expectations and experience.

Abstract: A SIFO-survey ordered by E.ON has shown that more than every fourth person in Sweden feels that they have poor knowledge and control over their energy use, and that four out of ten would like to be more aware and to have better control over it. A solution is to provide the householders with feedback of their energy consumption. Studies have shown that householders can reduce energy consumption with 5-20% having feedback on their energy use. An increasing energy consumption and development of the sustainable community demands a more efficient energy use. This has lead to many policy measures e.g. requirements on energy feedback to consumers and measures for the energy suppliers to achieve energy savings among their customers. Energy Company E.ON has the ambition to be in a leading position in the development of the sustainable community. They are currently building a house with eight climate smart co-operative apartments in Västra Hamnen, Malmö. One of the main reasons is to find solutions for future energy challenges which demand engagement from both energy supplier and consumer. The climate smart apartments will be equipped with Home Energy Management (HEM) systems, to enable for the householders to get better knowledge and control over their energy use. The HEM System that is to be installed in the homes is under development and to test its functionalities and usability before installation, a R&D trial with twenty friendly test users was carried out in the test users’ own homes. The evaluations of the test users’ expectations and experience of the HEM System were carried out partly as a quantitative study in the form of a web survey and, partly as a qualitative study through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The evaluations showed that the test users had in general high expectations on the HEM System and it was further shown that the system met most of their expectations. Through the HEM System, the test users experienced a better thermal comfort at home, they increased their energy-related knowledge and made changes in their energy use patterns. The study also showed that the HEM System provided better control of energy use and that it provided the tools for the users to achieve energy savings.