Youth Energy



Can personal objects reinforce young people‚s awareness about energy consumption and stimulate a change of their energy behavior in everyday life?

Focusing on critical design, energy use and personal objects, this master thesis addresses how such objects can be designed and used to increase the energy awareness of its user. Young people (15-25 years old) are seen as specifically interesting since they are about to create their own opinions, willing to explore and adapt new ideas but also actively questioning the world as we see it today. To have an effect on young people‚s attitudes, my belief is that the relationship to the objects in question must have some sort of personal connection in order to be truly effective.

By using methods like Cultural probes and Personal inventory I have examined young people's habits, thoughts, and perceptions of energy and personal objects and the impact it might have in their everyday life. The collected information has both inspired and informed the following design process. A numerous number of ideas and concepts have been generated of which some have resulted in conceptual design examples.

Project Team: Mattias Ludvigsson