Eco-garden: fostering sustainable practices through a data sculpture to reduce household consumption

Ushettige, Dushani, Randika, Ayantha, Sivell, David, Lannon, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4677-7184, Gwilliam, Julie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3256-7960, Eslambolchilar, Parisa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4610-1643 and Verdezoto Dias, Nervo ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5006-4262 2025. Eco-garden: fostering sustainable practices through a data sculpture to reduce household consumption. Presented at: Interact 2025, Brazil, 8 - 12 September 2025.

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Abstract

As sustainability becomes an urgent global priority, systems that support consumption reduction in households are essential. We present the design and development of Eco-Garden, a data sculpture and a companion mobile app, that visualises household consumption for electricity, gas, and food waste. Eco-Garden was developed through a four-phase, human-centered design process, incorporating insights from participants including goal-setting, peripheral interaction, aesthetics, and child-friendly features. While the sculpture delivers intuitive feedback, fostering awareness through subtle visual cues without demanding constant attention, the mobile app allows for detailed tracking and goal-setting. Positioned in shared spaces in households, the sculpture encourages sustainable practices as a whole-household effort. We report findings from a three-week field study with 15 households that suggest that the constant physical presence and feedback of Eco-Garden supported an ongoing awareness of consumption and motivated shifting practices through clear and achievable goals. This study contributes to eco-feedback research by demonstrating the impact of physical feedback in households.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Status:	Submitted
Schools:	Schools > Computer Science & Informatics
Last Modified:	16 Jul 2025 11:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/179632

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