Designing Digital Energy Applications for Household Energy Literacy

This study contributes to Green IS research by providing insights into the design of digital energy applications that increase household energy literacy. Understanding energy consumption behavior is crucial for households to make informed decisions that contribute to sustainability. This study, therefore, explores how digital tools can be designed to help households gain insights into their electricity consumption. A digital energy application to enhance household energy literacy was developed and evaluated through a design science research approach. The problem space was elicited through a literature review and interviews with app providers to derive meta-requirements and preliminary design principles. Based on these insights, an artifact was instantiated and evaluated through a field study. The evaluation was based on 40 participating households that used the app over two weeks. We used a mixed-methods approach featuring surveys, app usage data, and participant interviews to assess user experiences and feedback. The findings underscore the relevance of real-time consumption data, data representation, and recommendations for improving energy literacy. We were also able to further refine the artifact and critically reflect on the derived design principles.