A Review of Energy-Saving Home Applications: Innovation Opportunity Applying with User-Centered Design Principles

Abstract

This systematic review article encompasses 515 publications and screens narrowed down to 97 articles by the criteria of inclusion and exclusion. It concludes that three main problems exist for energy-saving home applications: 1) experts and non-experts do not understand the energy efficient home data presented, 2) they are not designed for middleaged and elderly users, and 3) the graphic communication is difficult to understand. Therefore, the aim of this article is to outline the issues, research gaps, and guidelines pertaining to the development of energy-saving home applications that are accessible, usable, understandable, and desirable for all users. Related review articles were analyzed by researching the correlation of three variables: application, user-centered design (UCD), and energy data. In summary, user experience, user interface, and UCD are recommended to optimize the design of accessible energy-saving home applications.