Living environment and technology
The research perspective is the user-oriented assessment of technology and the consumers' way to interpret new technology within their own every-day activities. The extensive understanding of consumption is highlighted in the research: in addition to benefits, consumers seek enjoyment, well-being, and experiences. Technology and service development is participated in within the framework of the national innovation system: consumer research expertise is communicated to consortiums with the goal being to develop products, services and different types of control methods.
The Rich Life studies assess every-day commercial and technological development trends from the perspective of the changing needs of consumers. Consumption related to the living environment is addressed as changing practices of consumption. By modelling practices, the changes in consumption and the consumer society can be identified and the information utilised in the business process planning of companies. In reference to changing consumer practices, the research focuses on living, free time, and media.
The studies that focus on building a sustainable consumer society gather experiences of user-oriented technology assessments and development and assess the ability of policy-makers to design good control methods that are suitable for the operational environment. Energy conservation and methods to transfer actors in the energy industry toward user and customer-oriented service models is studied in a European research consortium.
Projects
The following projects are planned to be implemented in the research entity:
Rich Life – the every-day commercial and technological development trends
- Kulta 2 – Simulating and Modelling Consumers’ Changing Needs
- URBA – Future Concepts of Urban Living
- Users´ role in Innovation Processes in the Sport Equipment Industry
- Media, Goals, and Development of a Consumer Society (2008–2010)
- Experience Economy, Society and Innovation
Building a Sustainable Consumer Society
- Changing Behaviour
- Climate Feedback Service
- Citizen Visions on Science, Technology and Innovation
- World Wide Views on Global Warming
- User Participation in Directing Technology
Websites of projects
- Policies to Promote Sustainable Consumption Patterns [EUPOPP]
- Civisti
The Civisti project is a project funded by the European Commission under the FP7 Science in Society programme. The aim of the project is to identify new, emerging topics for the EU R&D policy. This will happen by consulting citizens in 7 European countries (Denmark, Austria, Flanders/Belgium, Finland, Malta, Bulgaria, Hungary) uncovering European citizens' visions of the future and transform these into relevant long-term science, technology and innovation issues. Invitation to Tender (pdf) - Energychange.info
- Climate Bonus
The key purpose of the proposed project CLIMATE BONUS is to assess the possibilities and effectiveness of a bonus system for households, which incites them to consume in such a way that greenhouse gas (GHG) emission are reduced and incites retailers to offer a product portfolio that advances the choice for low GHG solutions by households. In order to enable a properly functioning and credible bonus system the development of the underlying information system is indispensable. - Create Acceptance
Create Acceptance aims to improve the conditions for renewable energy technologies (RET) and technologies for rational use of energy (RUE) by developing a tool for assessing and promoting the social acceptance of such technologies. - Cognitive Systems
Programme manager
Petteri Repo, Head of Research, tel. +358 10 605 9028, gsm +358 400 737 968
Researchers
Eva Heiskanen, Research Professor, tel. +358 10 605 9005Kaarina Hyvönen, Senior Researcher, tel. +358 10 605 9006
Mikael Johnson, Senior Researcher, tel. +358 10 605 9009
Tanja Kotro, Senior Researcher, tel. +358 10 605 9013
Mikko Rask, Senior Researcher, tel. +358 10 605 9027
Mika Saastamoinen, Researcher, tel. +358 10 605 9030
