A Systematic Review of the Impact of Real-Time Energy Feedback on Social Housing

Edgar Gomez¹, Kate Carter¹, W. Victoria Lee¹

1. University of Edinburgh

Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024), edited by Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Farzad Rahimian and Mahesh Babu Purushothaman. Springer Nature, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, volume 591, 2025, pages 1632 to 1643. DOI 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_155.

Abstract

Energy feedback systems are becoming increasingly common in homes, offering real-time insights into consumption patterns through in-home displays, web portals, and mobile apps. While these systems have shown potential in raising awareness and encouraging energy-efficient behaviors, their impact within social housing—where fuel poverty and energy insecurity are significant concerns—remains relatively underexplored. This review examines the potential economic and social benefits of Real-Time Energy Feedback (RTEF) systems in social housing, identifying both opportunities and challenges. Existing literature tends to emphasize direct outcomes such as energy savings and awareness. However, our findings suggest that these tools have untapped potential beyond utilitarianism. When combined with renewable energy sources like solar photovoltaics (PV), RTEF systems not only increase energy savings but also foster greater household participation in the energy transition. This positions them as key enablers of energy citizenship in decentralized energy systems. We recommend further research to explore the broader social impacts of RTEF systems, especially within the context of renewable energy integration in social housing, and to assess their critical role in facilitating the energy transition and shifting energy consumption paradigms.

Keywords

Session

Presented in Recorded Presentations, Session III, Saturday 9 November 2024, 11:00 to 13:30, room WG 201, Auckland University of Technology. Session chair Dr Antonio Lara Hernandez.

How to Cite

Gomez, E., Carter, K., & Lee, W. V. (2025). A Systematic Review of the Impact of Real-Time Energy Feedback on Social Housing. In A. GhaffarianHoseini, A. GhaffarianHoseini, F. Rahimian, & M. B. Purushothaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024) (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 591, pp. 1632–1643). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_155

About the Conference

Presented at SASBE 2024, the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, held in Auckland from 7 to 9 November 2024 and chaired by Professors Ali and Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, founders of GDI Academy. The version of record is published by Springer Nature; this page is the conference archive record kept by GDI Academy.