Beyond Eco-feedback: using art and emotional attachment to express energy consumption

  • Authors:
  • Valentina Nisi;Diego Nicoletti;Raffaella Nisi;Nuno Jardim Nunes

  • Affiliations:
  • Madera Interactive Technology Institute, Funchal, Portugal;Varedolab, Padova, Italy;Indipendent artist, Padova, Italy;Madera Interactive Technology Institute, Funchal, Portugal

  • Venue:
  • C&C '11 Proceedings of the 8th ACM conference on Creativity and cognition
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

This paper describes several art based eco-feedback concepts conceived around the potential of emotional attachment between people and the natural environment. Starting from a sensor-infrastructure that looks at how families consume electricity in their homes, we investigate several artistic visualizations of the Madeiran local landscapes exploring the connection between families and elements of the endemic laurel forest. The approach described here leverages digital art as a means to go beyond traditional eco-feedback technology. By coupling people and the forest landscapes we intend to narrow the physical, temporal and psychological gaps between our everyday actions and nature. We explore how people can build a direct emotional connection between their daily energy consumption and the impact on the natural environment (such as climate change and related forest fires, mudslides, desertification and erosion).