Robert S. Brewer

WattDepot: An Open Source Software Ecosystem for Enterprise-Scale Energy Data Collection, Storage, Analysis, and Visualization

WattDepot is an open source, Internet-based, service-oriented framework for collection, storage, analysis, and visualization of energy data. WattDepot differs from other energy management solutions in one or more of the following ways: it is not tied to any specific metering technology; it provides high-level support for meter aggregation and data interpolation; it supports carbon intensity analysis; it is architecturally decoupled from the underlying storage technology; it supports both hosted and local energy services; it can provide near-real time data collection and feedback; and the software is open source and freely available. In this paper, we introduce the framework, provide examples of its use, and discuss its application to research and understanding of the Smart Grid.

Smart Energy Systems

The authors currently engaged in two projects to improve human-computer interaction (HCI) designs that can help conserve resources. The projects explore motivation and persuasion strategies relevant to ubiquitous computing systems that bring realtime consumption data into the homes and hands of residents in Brisbane, Australia. The first project seeks to increase understanding among university staff of the tangible and negative effects that excessive printing has on the workplace and local environment. The second project seeks to shift attitudes toward domestic energy conservation through software and hardware that monitor real-time, in situ electricity consumption in homes across Queensland. The insights drawn from these projects will help develop resource consumption user archetypes, providing a framework linking people to differing interface design requirements.