Coping with changing temperatures: Interactions of people facing cancer and menopause with home energy management systems

Abstract

Home energy management systems (HEMS) have changed over the years, particularly with the development of smart home technologies which aim to simplify people’s lives. As life can be hectic, people look to technology to assist in streamlining daily activities, including setting home temperature. The dynamic nature of household composition, including changing residents, guests, as well as changing health status, necessitates the continued evolution of home heating and cooling systems. This research seeks to delineate design considerations for building a home energy management that can interact with situational variants and assist in temperature decision making, relieving users of added stressors during times of familial changes. This research discusses home energy perceptions of people facing either a diagnosis of cancer or experiencing menopausal symptoms in order to discover opportunities for a novel and perceptive home energy management system that considers household structure and familial dynamics.