This document describes the development of an Arduino-based energy monitoring system to increase sustainability at Brunel University. The system aims to monitor and provide feedback on energy usage in shared kitchens in student halls to encourage more sustainable behaviors. It involves designing an Arduino prototype with current and voltage sensors that can measure real-time energy consumption and integrate with a graphical user interface. The project goes through requirements analysis, prototype design, implementation, and evaluation stages to create a functional proof-of-concept system that meets its objectives of monitoring and displaying energy usage data to influence student energy habits.

1. Development of an Arduino based Energy
Monitoring System to increase sustainability
• Sustainable energy usage in universities across England is a primary goal of both the Higher Education
Funding Council for England (Hefce) and Brunel University.
• Both set out policies towards a reduction in carbon emissions.
• Brunel University is working towards not only meeting targets – but being self-sufficient, reducing costs and
reduction in wasteful energy usage.
• 85% of first-year students stating “Universities should be more active in promoting sustainable development”
(NUS, 2013).
Shakeel Ghani

2. PROBLEM DEFINITION
• This project seeks to develop a technological solution to reducing energy consumption on campus at Brunel.
• Specifically focusing on students living in halls and the amount of energy wasted in their kitchen facilities.
• “People are heavily influenced by what others around them are doing” - “providing people with feedback on their
energy use” (Cabinet Office, 2011, p.18).
• There are several areas of energy use that may be better controlled in kitchens in halls of residence
• Electrical appliances in halls

3. AIM
The aim of this project is to analyse current methods set out by Brunel University to reduce
energy consumption and to create a simple IS-based technology solution to enable
students living in halls to monitor their energy consumption in their shared kitchens, and
alter their behaviour as a result, reducing energy use.

4. OBJECTIVES
• Literature Analysis – Energy sustainability - Brunel University - Persuasive design - Sensor-based
systems – IoT
• Requirements Specification –Functional – Non-Functional – Technical Specification
• Design Products – design methods - use case - activity diagrams – prototype design of Energy
Monitor
• Implementation/Prototype System – Arduino Hardware – software – tools
• Evaluation – Evaluation of Energy Monitor system against requirements

5. ENERGY, SUSTAINABILITY & HEFCE
POLICIES
Predicted depletion of fossil fuels in the future (Ecotricity, 2013) Key issues that enable sustainability (Cooper, 2008)
• HEFCE recently published a report on sustainability in Higher Education
• Brunel 45% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020

6. BRUNEL & PERSUASIVE TECHNOLOGY
How Brunel currently uses energy (Brunel University, 2011) This captology describes where computing technology and persuasion
overlap (Fogg, 1998)
• IoT – identifiable physically smart objects that are connected through the
internet
• IoT encourages use of sensors to monitor data

7. ARDUINO SOLUTION
• Arduino enables a wide range of
sensors to interact with its
microcontroller
• A CT sensor will be able to record real
time data about electrical
consumption
• Open source, lots of resources
available for development
• Apart of the IoT concepts

8. REQUIREMENTS
Functional Requirements
The system will display real time consumption data on electrical appliances.
The system will display electrical usage data on a GUI interface, therefore should be able to
record data instantly in accordance with IoT.
The GUI will display the average electrical consumption measured in a time frame of 5 minutes.
The system will establish a trigger in order to trigger associated behaviour should electrical
consumption be really high.

9. REQUIRMENTS
Non-Functional Requirements
Performance: The system should have minimal latency during operation and an instant response time.
Usability: The system should easily be understood with a friendly interface in order for the user to understand feedback.
Reliability: The system should be reliable and functional at all times.
Coding: The coding for the system should be written in the Arduino programming language.
Technical specification
Arduino Hardware – Software - Laptop

10. DATA COLLECTION AND
QUESTIONARIES'
• Evaluate whether an energy monitoring system would change students‟
behaviour in terms of energy usage on the Brunel University campus
• Were persuasive design techniques used have been successfully
implemented, data was be collected from students on campus
• The data collection was via the use of a questionnaire
• Used in evaluation

11. DESIGN – SOFTWARE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
• Chosen SDP is the iterative
development model
• Phases done in iterations
• Able to spot faults easier
• Agile driven process
• Compared against waterfall
model

12. SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
• Architecture of the system
• All relating components of the energy
monitor
• Shows Link between electrical data with
user interface

13. DESIGN - USE CASE DIAGRAM

14. PROTOTYPE DESIGN
• Based on the OpenEnergyMonitor projects
• Simples design using Arduino
• GUI interface available
• Meets requirements set out
Arduino Uno Microcontroller Arduino Ethernet
Shield
CT Sensor AC Power Adaptor

15. IMPLEMENTATION
• Ct sensor – measure electrical current
• AC adaptor to measure voltage
• Arduino microcontroller
• 7 resistors
• 2 capacitors
• Based on OpenEnergyMonitor energy
monitor projects

16. ENERGY MONITOR PROTOTYPE
• Arduino IDE
• „Sketch‟ file
• Measures Current of
electrical device
• Able to measure real power
• Uploaded onto Arduino
board
• EmonLib - library

17. ENERGY MONITOR PROTOTYPE
• Arduino IDE GUI
• Serial Monitor
• Outputs reading from CT
Sensor
• Real Power (Right)
• Apparent power (Left)
Energy Monitor (Current
measure) Set-up

18. USER INTERFACE - EMONCMS
• “Emoncms” – open source GUI apart of OpenEnergyMonitor
• Able to visualise raw data from sensor
• Historical electrical
• Alert when electrical consumption is to high
• Highly configurable

19. TESTING AND EVALUATION
• Testing carried out on prototype against functional and non-
functional requirements e.g. usability & performance
• Which includes - GUI, Alert sent to user, Measuring electrical
current – real time – reliability testing
• Evaluation carried out against objectives of the project
• Has the aim been met
• Personal Thoughts on project
• Heuristic evaluation methods will be used

20. MEETING OBJECTIVES
AND AIM
• Literature Analysis – Reviewed various relating resources
• Requirements Specification – Detailed functional/non-functional
• Design Products – Design methods used to create prototype
• Implementation/Prototype System – Arduino energy monitor prototype
created with GUI and trigger
• Evaluation – Against requirements, objectives and personnel reflection
• Meetings the Aim – Arduino energy monitor prototype created in order to show
feedback of energy usage of electrical appliances via GUI in halls in order for students to
reduce their energy.