Background
This project belongs to the IEBB project, which advocates for the renovation of ‘zero energy houses’ (ZEH) that synergize insulation and heat pump systems for energy conservation. The ZEH’s energy-saving efficiency depends on user behaviour. From a systems perspective, improper human interactions hinder energy saving, while occupants may find system responses that conflict with their preferences. This study delves into these conflicts and crises, highlighting the variance in post-occupancy adaptation influenced by individual perceptions and familial interplay. The project’s zenith aim is to tailor adaptation, ensuring co-performance between the heat pump
system and households.
Key Insight
In researching residents’ responses to the ‘routine crisis’ introduced by a new system, I discovered that these ‘crises’ could be productive, stimulating household engagement and fostering harmonious interactions with ZEH systems. This insight gave rise to the concept of the ‘enacted interface’ - a distinctive bridge between residents and their automated homes that supports the adaptation process. Through analysis, I identified elements that amplify residents’ engagement with ‘crises’ and observed the influence of family diversity on individual perceptions and responses to them. The results are manifested in two interrelated frameworks: one describing the ubiquity of ‘crises’ and another characterising the classification and impact of different elements.
Design
This design aims to make households curious about ‘crises’ and guide them towards tailored adaptations to new tech. The ‘Clock’ thermostat provides a consistent interface for temperature adjustments, while the ‘Feeling Message Board’ suggests lifestyle tips based on the user’s emotional input and changing scenarios. Both reinforce the system’s ability to communicate contextual and real-time status, motivating users to actively engage with its functions. Additionally, the design stimulates family discussions about the indoor environment and promotes collaborative responses to ‘crises’. Through co-performance of the system’s dynamic feedback and the household’s proactive exploration, the aim is to facilitate tailored adaptation.

Electric vehicles, electric cooking, heating installations running on electricity; the future is electric. This electrification creates a continuously growing demand of electricity. However, the electricity grid network is not able to transport these amounts of electricity and is facing problems. Part of the problem is created by charging electric vehicles (EV’s) which creates high peak demand on the local grid network. The challenge is to find better ways to charge these vehicles, especially in the future. This is what smart charging needs to do. Smart charging is adapting the time and or velocity of a charging session.

The main challenge addressed in this project is: How can Vattenfall offer a valuable smart charging proposition to enable EV drivers to use smart charging at home?

Three interesting scenarios of smart charging are found: simple scheduled charging using time-of-use (TOU) tariffs, charging to maximize local solar power production, or charging using Direct Load Control (DLC), in which the supplier of the solution can steer the charging session according to real-time data.

In comparison to other competitors in smart charging solutions, Vattenfall has the ability to influence energy tariffs, which was also something recognized by consumers during interviews. Also, there are currently no relevant TOU tariffs available. Therefore, the development of a smart charging proposition primarily focused on the design of new TOU tariffs. In addition, consumer preference towards all three smart charging scenarios is investigated. The challenge is to design an implementation roadmap that incorporates these various scenarios of smart charging.

Two interesting TOU tariffs were developed. Tariff Short Peak is a tariff with a peak price between 19h to 21h. The peak price should discourage people from using electricity during that time period - e.g. avoid to charge the car. The other tariff - called Daytime Plunge - offers a low price during the night and during the day from 11h - 17h, when solar power usually peaks and wholesale energy prices are usually low. Interviews to investigate desirability of both tariffs reveal that interest in these tariffs vary among consumers, and is partly determined by the financial advantage, but also by the type of consumer and their personal needs and routines. This variety in types of consumer and their preferences resulted in four different persona’s that show the diversity of people among EV drivers. The size of these persona groups and preference among these groups for one of the two tariffs give insight in the order and pacing in which these tariffs should be introduced.

Next to the development of new TOU tariffs, it was found that giving a financial incentive for the other two scenarios of smart charging, namely charging using DLC and using your own solar power, interests EV drivers. An implementation roadmap brings together the introduction of new tariffs, DLC and solar compensation, with the customer groups and plots them into three horizons. Each horizon introduces a vision relevant for Vattenfall to determine the focus of smart charging for that period.