Designing an information system for residential heating and ventilation to improve comfort and save energy

Abstract

Large amounts of energy are wasted because heating systems run round-the-clock even though residents are out or occupy only a small part of their home. Major reasons for this behaviour are the non-intuitive heating controls and missing direct feedback about the heating activity or even energy consumption. In addition, bad ventilation behaviour, e.g. tilted windows, may lead to unhealthy room climate as well as significant heat losses. To address these problems, we analysed the requirements for a supporting information system. We present a first prototypical implementation of an individual-room heating and ventilation system which combines automation, an intuitive user interface and supporting feedback. This should empower residents to achieve energy-efficient heating and improved comfort. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.