Affective design and its role in energy consuming behavior: Part of the problem or part of the solution?

To mitigate against the effects of climate change, the UK has legislated to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 (Climate Change Act 2008 ). Domestic consumers currently contribute over 25% of total UK carbon emissions (The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan , 2009). Significant variations in domestic energy use have been shown to be due to the behavioral differences of householders. According to Lutzenhiser & Bender (2008), these differences are primarily the result of sociological factors, thwarting attempts at a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to behavior change. The aim of this paper is to 1) consider the role affective design plays in energy consuming behavior in the home, and 2) draw conclusions as to how affective design could be used as a design tool to influence consumption in the home.