Department of Computer Science

Michael Kvist Svangren – Assistant Professor in the HCC group

Michael Kvist Svangren – Assistant Professor in the HCC group

Last modified: 15.10.2021

RESEARCH AREA AND FOCUS

I work within Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) with a focus on sustainable energy use. My primay focus on interactive technology predicted to facilitate the transition to more sustainable energy consumption (more about this below). My concerns are primarily on demand side and how technology is used by the end-user (consumer).

In my research, I argue that if we are designing technology that people are supposed to actually use, we need to challenge our conceptions about them (e.g., assuming that users have the knowledge or are willingness to use our designs).

PROJECTS

I have just finished a two-year post doc working in a project on district heating where we collaborated with Aalborg Forsyning and their efforts of digitizing the district heating sector. In this research we followed and investigated the roll-out of the smart phone app – Watts – an energy feedback system for consumers. I am currently looking at if such an app can provide more meaningful and specific advice for households for how to become more sustainable, such as energy renovations.

I also have an ongoing commitment with electric mobility, focusing especially on electric cars and their integration with an increasingly digital infrastructure. The landscape for electric cars is however still messy, in the sense that it is still fragmented which is not always easy (or desirable) to learn for consumers (i.e., just look at public infrastructure, charging standards, and available subscriptions). I am currently working on design lessons learned looking back at my last 5 years of research in this area.

PRIVATE/FUN FACTS

Plays the saxophone / guitar. A serious runner. A gastroman, loves food and beer. Bakes a mean sourdough bread (thanks to corona)!