BUILT CoLAB – Minus-E: Monitoring and Raising Awareness about Domestic Energy Consumption

Challenge: Porto: How to monitor and give users awareness of their energy consumption?

Target Group: families

The MINUS-E pilot aimed to encourage sustainable energy consumption behaviours and raise awareness through the development of a co-created digital platform and AI-powered chatbot, tailored to the needs of vulnerable communities in Porto, Portugal. The pilot focused on the Agra do Amial neighbourhood, where access to environmental and digital education resources is limited.

The energy management platform, developed through co-creation with the city of Porto, enables residents to monitor their solar and grid energy consumption, compare usage patterns within the community, and plan future consumption based on personalised data. The system is designed to support informed decision-making around energy use, promoting both efficiency and sustainability.

Co-creation activities involved two community workshops, combining co-design and testing, alongside ongoing collaboration with the local pilot host to ensure the tools were appropriately adapted to the specific needs of the neighbourhood. Approximately 25 people who can be considered representative of the target group participated in these activities. This iterative process ensured alignment with both technical constraints and user requirements.

The final demonstration presented a user-friendly platform capable of engaging residents with tailored insights into their energy use and providing guidance on sustainable practices. The pilot was completed within the planned timeframe and successfully delivered a fully functional prototype.

Future steps may include continuing collaboration with Porto Digital and the Energy Agency of Porto and further development of the platform, with the goal of expanding its functionality and increasing long-term impact within similar contexts.