IHD simulation - P009

P009

She works on smart metering (hardware and software) to improve communication between the meter and computer to the millisecond

Pretest

Ranking appliance by use

• 10 minute limit was not clear
• Anything with heating and cooling uses a lot
• Dryer & washer use energy in a concentrated amount of time

Rank by cost

• Add monthly to the title
• Initially, not clear to her that it was different compared to the last question
• Had to point out that it was asking for monthly
• Considers frequency of use
  • Refrigerator runs all the time
  • Oven used infrequently

Compare by use

• Freezer keeps things at a lower temperature
• Microwave heats more than the fridge cools
• Dryer has a higher heat

Compare by monthly cost

• On all the time -- freezer
• Doesn't see difference in use from 10 min to 1 month for the items presented (except for last one)
• Microwave vs fridge (fridge was chosen cause its on all the time)

Elec cost

• When demand is high, it is more expensive to provide

Elec use

• Answered with similar reasoning from previous questions

Cost of kWh / Monthly kWh

• No clue at all
• Make question text bold

Ranking energy saving actions

1. AC consumes the most -- largest saving potential
2. Heating uses the second most
3. Water heating uses the third most
4. Washing energy use comes mostly from mechanical energy, so not much savings

IHD Simulation

• kWh & $ by appliance
• Is this fora month's usage
  • This isn't the first time the time frame the simulation was considering. If we create a scenario where we tell them input numbers for a week of use, they can put things into context.
  • Or we can make give participants learning strategies or goals to try to guide them
• Her strategy was:
  • Run everything for an hour
  • Revisited the ranking questions by pointing out which appliances used the most
  • Asked whether this page was just for viewing? Was it made to estimate the bill for the house?
  • Remove text in intro about $150 bill

Elec knowledge questions

• Switch off the AC because it costs $0.6 / hour
  • I suggest we give them input numbers for average use per week. that way they have an understanding of how the Smith's consume electricity and have guidance in constructing effective strategies to reduce the bill by $10

Post test

Cost by monthly

Add the text "average summer month"

=Cost of kWh

• Add the title to the page
• Used info from energy saving suggestions question
  • $10, 75 kWh

General suggestions

• Do the simulation for a one day usage so they could ahve more context
  • Summer vs winter day
  • Weekend vs weekday
• Simulate maximum the bill could possibly go up to
• Order appliances as you input variables on the simulation
  • Maybe think about including a pie graph or visual graph of usage by appliance
• reduce cost by $10 by turning off appliances from a default setting on the simulations

Feedback info

• Does total kWh & cost mean just the total and no other appliances?
• Maybe make it so you can choose multiple answers instead of a single answer
  • Replace predicted reduction by in-home display type question

Questions about you

• Add space between question text and matrix question (numeracy scale)
• Electricity provider
  • Add text "write don't know if you are unsure"
• add
  for answer choice on question after numeracy