The role of ‘Smart Homes’ in reducing domestic energy consumption

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In choosing Loughborough for your research, you’ll work alongside academics who are leaders in their field. You will benefit from comprehensive support and guidance from our Graduate School, including tailored careers advice, to help you succeed in your research and future career.

Find out more: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/supporting-you/research/

Project Detail:
A ‘Smart Home’ is a home enhanced by automation and information communication (ICT) technologies in order to enrich the comfort and convenience of its occupants. Smart Homes are not a new concept, but recent technological developments including artificial intelligence (AI), smart data and speech recognition as well as the widespread availability of high speed wireless broadband and smart devices have significantly increased interest in the home as a site for product and service innovation.

The threat of climate change means that there is a real need to reduce the energy demand of domestic homes. Smart appliances and services in the home are expected to play a crucial role in achieving the efficiencies needed. In the near future, smart metering, more flexible tariffs, increased use of renewables and battery storage in the home will lead to more flexible management of energy demand in the home. However, the combination of AI in the home and smart data based services have the potential to more radically change consumers relationship with domestic energy, enabling more personalised energy services and opportunities for more radical innovation (OFGEM, 2017).

This PhD will take a user centred design approach to reducing energy consumption in domestic homes through the utilisation of new and emerging smart technologies and services. Core to the research will be the premise that any product or service introduced into the home must, to succeed, fundamentally enhance the experience of home for householders. The exact focus of the PhD can be shaped to match the student’s background and interests but applications from those interested in using creative user centred design methods to co-design user experiences in the home are especially welcomed.

This is an open call for projects in this field, for candidates who are sponsored or who have their own funding.

Find out more about the UCD research group:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/design-school/research/user-centred-design/

Entry requirements:
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in a design or user-focused subject, and/or a good pass in a relevant Master’s degree.

Contact details:
Name: Dr Val Mitchell
Email address: [Email Address Removed]
Telephone number: 01509 226967

How to apply:
All applications should be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Under programme name, select ‘Design’

Please quote reference number: VAM/SH/2017

Application details:
Reference number: VAM/SH/2017
Preferred Start date (if any): October 2017

Supervisors:
Primary supervisor: Dr Val Mitchell
Secondary supervisor: Dr Andrew May