Smart devices to manage use of electrical appliances: possibilities and risks in vulnerable households

Smart devices to manage use of electrical appliances: possibilities and risks in vulnerable households

Authors:

Larissa Nicholls, Yolande Strengers and Sergio Tirado

Organisation of Presenter:

RMIT University, Australia

Abstract:

 Low-income households are disproportionately impacted by rising electricity costs and often have other vulnerabilities such as health issues. Energy sector shifts towards more ‘cost-reflective’ electricity tariffs (e.g. higher electricity costs at certain times of the day or year) have the potential to reduce or increase household energy costs, depending on patterns of energy use in the home. Devices such as smart switches and smart lighting (controlled by smart phone apps) are expected to enable households to manage energy use and costs. There has been little research about the likely impact of smart technologies in vulnerable households. In this paper, we explore appliance consumption in the context of health issues in vulnerable households and the role of smart technologies. We draw on publicly available data about social trends and findings from in-home interviews in the first phase of a qualitative trial of off-the shelf smart devices in Australian households. Despite financial constraints, the prevalence of new information and communication, entertainment and other appliances in financially constrained households followed broader social trends and was enmeshed in understandings of health. Our findings challenge some prevailing ideas of ‘discretionary’ energy use. We find that while smart devices can appeal as a way to manage energy they also have potential to encourage and enable higher energy use. Any such unintended energy outcomes will be much more heavily felt by financially vulnerable households. We discuss the ways that broader economic and social environment contribute to increasing appliance density and associated energy use in vulnerable households and the challenges this presents to energy efficiency aims.