Energy Babble puts Reepham on the energy-saving map

Reepham is one of the UK’s first towns to trial a prototype of new technology designed to engage communities in reducing energy consumption. The project addresses how to achieve an 80% reduction of the country’s carbon emissions by 2050.
 
The “Energy Babble” has already been installed at both schools in Reepham, and units are planned for other venues in the town.
 

Matthew Plummer-Fernandez of Goldsmiths, University of London, with one of theEnergy Babbles being installed in Reepham

 
Designed by Professor Bill Gaver and his project team at Goldsmiths, University of London, the Energy Babble collects information relating to energy issues from an extensive network. A server process aggregates and transforms input sources into audio files that are broadcast by each device.
 
The idea is to open and promote constructive debate and involvement on energy reduction issues. Anyone with access to a Babble can send information to it, either verbally using the microphone or remotely via texting or the internet. The information is then logged, checked, stored and broadcast within a few minutes.
 
Goldsmiths was awarded a £795,000 grant to fund the Energy Babble over a three and a half year period.
 
Prof. Gaver said: “The most fundamental achievements will be the Babble on the one hand, and people’s engagements with it and reactions to it on the other. The Babble itself explores technical possibilities, but also summarises, in a sense, the situation of people who are trying to make progress on environmental action at a community level.
 
"The reactions don’t just tell us whether people like the Babble, but also – we hope – will reveal a lot of their knowledge, concerns and beliefs about environmental issues, as the many different ways people minimise their energy consumption.”
 
He continued: “The Babble is not a blank slate like Twitter and other social media, but is far more centred on environmental issues. Also, because the Babble is a physical device it has a presence, and a social one, that on-screen systems like Twitter, etc., may not have.
 
"Using audio output means it is more pervasive; you don’t have to look at it to engage with it. It is designed to highlight the ways people talk about environmental issues, and that is more or less all it does, all the time.”
 
As a winner of the Low Carbon Communities Challenge, the Reepham Green Team were introduced to Goldsmiths two years ago to help develop the Energy Babble.
 
In total, 35 prototypes have been made available to trial nationwide, of which four units have come to Reepham, two of which are already installed in the schools.
 
Judy Holland
 

  • The Green Team would like Reepham Life readers’ help in deciding where the other units should be installed. Please send your suggestions to: info@reephamlife.co.uk, or in writing to Reepham Community Press, Homerton House, 74 Cawston Road, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4LT, or left at Very Nice Things in the Market Place.
     

Related stories: