Dr Stephen Snow
Researcher biography
I am a Research Fellow who works between the Centre for Energy Data Innovation (ITEE) and the School of Architecture at UQ. I am passionate about design that builds better relationships between people, the buildings they inhabit and the energy they consume. My work seeks to understand the role of data visualisations in building energy literacy and balancing energy efficiency and adequate ventilation/indoor air quality (IAQ). I lead the Study Fresh program at UQ which has engaged over 550 students across 15 schools in hands-on workshops towards building IAQ monitors and learning how to identify poor IAQ in classrooms and take actions to improve it. I hold grants related to improving users' experience in electricity retailer switching and have run a two-year study examining longitudinal engagement with energy use feedback. My research involves mixed methods including ethnography, co-design, speculative design, in-situ monitoring and data analysis to inform the design of visualisations to improve energy literacy and assist users in navigating the complexities of the Australian energy market. I have applied these methods to case studies in the UK and Australia and completed over 200 audits as a building sustainability assessor under the Australian Government's Green Loans scheme (2009-2012).