The document describes an experiment where participants receive an energy meter to monitor their household electricity consumption over 3 weeks. [WEEK 1] Participants observe their baseline consumption and plan 3 activities to experiment with. [WEEK 2-3] Participants experiment with changing routines, record findings, and share experiences. [FINAL] At the end, participants reflect on what they learned and their progress in reducing energy consumption. The goal is to inspire new ways of consuming less energy through community participation and feedback.
4. Welcome!
Thank you once more for participating in this small “experiment”.
Goal of the experiment is to explore other ways of doing in our households, consuming less energy, but still enjoying doing
them. Can we lock out of our routines and practices? Can we invent new ways of doing? Can we learn by experimenting with our
consumption and can we share the knowledge we gain?
For the purposes of this experiment, you received an energy meter that is going to give you real time feedback on the total
your lifestyle, Act and React on feedback,
electricity you consume. The energy meter is just a tool for you to re-examine
rediscover ways of doing.
and
There is no right or wrong! I want you to try to experiment with your consumption, be creative and imaginative and
enjoy this small “experiment”. Your input is very valuable for me, as I want to come up with ideas and concepts together with you!
So, the more notes, thoughts, ideas and frustrations you put in this workbook, the richer the process and the outcome.But also for you, it’s
a great opportunity, to take a break, and reconsider your doings together with other people. Inspire others and get inspired from
redesign your daily life. Don’t leave it to chance!
others to
Enjoy & Have Fun!
Loucas
loucaspapa@gmail.com
0651410299
5. Planning
The experiment will last 3 weeks. In the first week, we will install the Wattcher. With the help of the energy meter, try to get to know your
house and its appliances better. Think of doings you would like to improve in the next two weeks. Please don’t start your experiments during
the first week, as we want to get reference data for the current consumption to see if we can improve it. During this week, you can focus on the
workbook and its exercises. It would be a good idea to place the workbook next to your Wattcher, so that you don’t foget to fill it in.
document your findings, your
Second and third week: You can finally start reacting! Experiment in any way you want, but don’t forget to
surprises and frustrations.
Once the experiment is over, we will meet for a last time for a workshop to talk about your experience and generate ideas and concepts
for possible solutions to save energy in the house .
Install energy meter, get reference measurements, plan 3 experiments Experiment with energy meter, reinvent 3 doings, document on workbook
Day 1: Day 8: Day 15: Day 21:
Kick off! Start Experimenting! Continue with experiments The End!
Introduction& Brainstorming Reflect on the experiment
and conceptualize
6. For the purposes of this experiment you received a wattcher.
The wattcher is an energy meter that shows your current consumption, your daily consumption and your targeted consumption (%). For more
details about how the wattcher works, information and tips you can check the manual of the wattcher in the box, or just visit the www.wattcher.nl .
Plug in your wattcher, but please for the first week don’t start experimenting and saving energy, as we want to see what your average
level of consumption is, and then see how we can improve it in the following 2 weeks.
The wattcher keeps the data for the last 7 days. So, after the first week, note down your average consumption, and set your
target consumption in wattcher for next week. For instance, if your average consumption during the first week was 10kWh per dag, and you want
to minimize it in 9kWh per dag, then Wattcher will show in its display your daily consumption as percentage from your targeted consumption. In
this case 90%.
Be aware that the wattcher you have is a prototype, and not the final product. Hence, there might be some malfunctions.
In case you have any problems, please don’t hesitate to contact with me at: loucaspapa@gmail.com or at 0651410299.
7. get to know your energy! Week # 1, Tuesday 12/5/09
Audit your house! Play with your Wattcher, switch on/off and plug in/out your appliances and get feedback on the energy you consume.
How did it go?
I was surprised...
I didn’t know that
I got frustrated with...
8. reflect! Week # 1, Thursday 14/5/09
In the brainstorming we had, we referred on “doings”. Try to think in terms of actions. For instance: washing, drying, cooking, lighting, drinking,
freezing...etc. and think of 3 doings you would like to improve now that you have also the feedback from the wattcher:
why?
why?
why?
What do your “doings” involve? Try to analyze the ones you’re thinking to change:
for instance:
washing machine
....
washing washing powdrer
times I wash
temperature
9. Week # 1, weekend 16-17/5/09
Congratulations!
You are ready to start with your experiment from tuesday on!
Find a nice title for your little project, and draw it on the cover of the
workbook.
It’s your project now!
10. check, compare and plan! Week # 2, Tuesday 19/5/09
Check your average, daily energy consumption and note it down
Go to your neighbor, and compare it with his/hers
Discuss about the differences. What do you notice?
me
my neighbor:............................
Set your goals of how much energy (%) you want to save during next week and set it in your wattcher.
Make a rough planning of how you want to achieve it.
11. how is it going...? Week # 2, Wednesday 20/5/09
Use some of the stickers to tell about your experience so far...Any challenges, frustrations, rewards, problems?
What do you think of me? How does it
feel like to live with an energy meter
in the house?
o o
(------)
12. what have you changed... Week # 2, Friday 22/5/09
compared to what you were doing before the experiment?
Before Now
How do you feel with changing your habits (use the stickers if you want)?
13. Week # 2, Sunday 24/5/09
Write, draw, sketch, collage what you learnt last week. Share and discuss it with your neighbors.
What I lea rn t las t we ek ...
14. comfort...? Week # 3, Tuesday 26/5/09
Sometimes in order to change, and improve some things in our lives, we have to step out of our comfort zone...
Set challenging goals for this week, and go for extreme energy reductions.
During this week, note down on the bar, the things that you changed and the level of comfort/discomfort they caused you
discomfo
rt
ort
comf
15. neighbors Week # 3, Friday 29/5/09
During these 3 weeks you had the chance to interact with your neighbors and discuss on your energy consumption.
Use the stickers and explain how did it go...
I’m a little bit insecure...Is the information
from the energy meter enough? Would you
prefere something different?...
o o
(------)
16. Week # 3, Sunday 31/5/09
Write, draw, sketch, collage what you learnt last week. Share and discuss it with your neighbors.
What I lea rn t las t we ek ...
17. congratulations! Week # 3, Monday 1/6/09
You are a graduate of Act Re.Act!
The experiment is over...Mark your progress on the bar, and comment
and beyond...
start
your goals
How was it?
Act ct!
Re.a
Do you plan to continue? How?
18. The end...
Here is some place for you to make any last comments, remarks, reflections and recommendations before our following session...
19. thank you!!!
Thank you very much for your participation and the time you invested on this experiment. I hope Act Re.Act! was worthwhile for you as it is for
me. Hopefully, you got new insights and ideas that you can use to continue rediscovering your lifestyle and improving your energy consumption.
See you at our last lession,
Loucas