A Monash University study on how emerging technologies will impact our future home energy needs has been awarded the top gong at the Australian Good Design Award.
Commonly known as the Good Design Tick, the prestigious accolade is the most esteemed and recognised design endorsement symbol nationwide.
Monash University’s Digitial Energy Futures project picked up the Gold Winner accolade for its research into the future energy needs of Australian households.
Designed in collaboration with industry partners Ausgrid, AusNet Services and Energy Consumers Australia, the three-year, $2.3 million research project is the most extensive sociological study of energy demand and consumers’ energy futures ever conducted nationwide.
The research aims to understand and forecast changing digital lifestyle trends, identify their impact on future household electricity demand, and investigate how changing social practices will impact electricity sector planning.
Almost 200 residential energy consumers will take part in the in-depth research, with analysed activities including charging and mobility; cooking and eating; healthy indoor air and thermal comfort; living and play; working and studying from home; caring for the home and its occupants; and making, saving, storing and shifting energy.
DEF project five key objectives:
- Study how Australian household practices evolve with new digital technologies in the electricity sector.
- Identify future scenarios that will impact the electricity sector in the near, medium, and long-term.
- Develop a new approach to studying and predicting changes in household practices, focusing on future trends.
- Create a forecasting model to track and anticipate peak electricity demand, incorporating social science insights.
- Provide practical demand management solutions to help electricity network businesses plan reliable and cost-effective systems.
Monash University Design Department Head Professor Gene Bawden spoke highly of the university’s impressive performance at the awards, picking up 12 titles overall.
“I am incredibly proud of our staff and students, who continue to demonstrate excellence in designing solutions that address real-world challenges,” he says.
“This year’s award-winners have gone above and beyond in designing innovative solutions that tackle some of the most pressing issues in our society.
“The awards demonstrate the strength and breadth of the design practice and research — and the richness of collaboration — undertaken at Monash and our competitiveness with the broader Australian design industry.”
If successful, the project could bring significant benefits to the energy sector and consumers by improving energy forecasting and planning, potentially lowering infrastructure costs and ensuring affordable, equitable, and sustainable energy solutions for Australian households.
