EcoHomeHelper is an expert system which gives advise to end users on how to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the home. It aims to deliver the advice information in an efficient manner and not bother the user with irrelevant dialog. This is often the case when people attempt to sift through a publication searching for helpful hints to reduce their carbon footprint.

Once the program is started, the user is presented with the Main Menu. This consists of 4 options. Below is an example of the option displayed in the Main Menu.

Welcome to Home Eco Helper the Greenhouse Emissions Monitoring at Home

***** Main Menu *****

Please Choose an Option from the list below?
1 : Aspect of the Home eg Lighting, Kitchen, Transport, etc.
2 : Appliance or Product.
3 : General Advise or Facts on how to save on Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
4 : I Want to be Guided through the Options.

Enter the Number of Choice >>
If the user selects option 1 another menu is displayed asking which aspect the the home the user wishes to investigate.

***** Aspect of the Home Menu *****

Please Choose an Option from the list area?
1 : Buying A House
2 : Clothes Washing
3 : Computers
4 : Garden
5 : Heating Cooling
6 : Home Entertainment
7 : Hot Water Systems
8 : Kitchen
9 : Lighting
10 : Standby Power
11 : Swimming Pool
12 : Transport
13 : What you eat

Enter the Number of Choice >>

By selecting option 2 from the Main Menu the user is presented with the Appliance or Product Menu. Below is what the menu looks like. After making a selection, the user is given the relevant advice.
***** Product or Appliance Menu *****

Please Choose an Option from the list type?
1 : Air Travel
2 : Alternative To Cars
3 : Animal Products
4 : Appliance
5 : Carbon Offset
6 : Compost
7 : Dairy Products
8 : Electronics
9 : Fittings
10 : Fuel Efficiency
11 : Insulation
12 : Lamps or Lights
13 : Maintenance
14 : Meat
15 : Mowing
16 : People
17 : Pool Filters
18 : Showers and Taps
19 : Size
20 : Thermostats
21 : Transport
22 : Type of Hot Water System
23 : Using The Car
24 : Waste Management
25 : Weather Related
26 : When Cooking
27 : Wood Heaters

Enter the Number of Choice >>

As can been seen, as many aspects of the users home is considered. The third option in the Main Menu gives the user a choice between finding out facts in terms of Carbon Dioxide reductions or general advice. If the fourth option is selected, the user is presented with all of the above menus until the final advice is given.

The advise is broken down into advise and rationale. Advise gives the user information on how to reduce GHG emissions in their place of residence and rationale gives the reasons why GHG reduction is achieved. Following is an example to the advise and rationale generated when the user selections option 1 from the Main Menu and option 12 (Transport) from the Aspect of home menu.

Advice : Reduce the number of kilometers traveled by car.
Rationale : Each kilometer of car travel avoided is a saving of half a kilogam of GHGs and 20% of operating costs.

Advice : Plan trips to combine several things in one trip.
Rationale : Short car trips with a cold engine uses more fuel and causes more wear and tear.

Advice : Consider buying a hybrid car.
Rationale : The use 50% less fuel and are not much more expensive than conventional cars.

Advice : Cars are as inefficient as they were in 1909.
Rationale : Cars contribute to 20% of Australia's Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Advice : Building a car does not have the greatest environmental impact.
Rationale : Eighty percent of a car's greenhouse gas emissions occur during operation.

Advice : Use the phone. Replace the drive with a pnone call, email, SMS or fax.
Rationale : Each kilometer of car travel avoided is a saving of half a kilogam of GHGs and 20% of operating costs.

Advice : Consider using the train.
Rationale : Using the train can save you up to 25 minutes in travelling time than using your car.

Advice : Instead of driving ride a bike, use public transport or walk.
Rationale : You will get fill, save money and reduce driving stress and GHG emissions.

Advice : Where possible car pool.
Rationale : Saves moeny and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Advice : Your next car should be more fuel efficient.
Rationale : You could save 20 tonnes of GHGs and $10,000 in fuel costs over the life of the car.

Advice : Drive smoothly. Avoid stop start traffic where possible.
Rationale : This will increase feul efficiency.

Advice : Live closer to what you need.
Rationale : The only way to cut down on car use is to live close to what you need.

Advice : When buying your next home consider its proximity to work or public transport.
Rationale : The only way to cut down on car use is to live close to what you need.

Advice : When buying your next home consider its proximity to schools and playgrounds.
Rationale : The only way to cut down on car use is to live close to what you need.

Advice : When buying your next home consider its proximity to shops, cafes, pubs and movie theatres.
Rationale : The only way to cut down on car use is to live close to what you need.

Advice : Ensure typres are inflated.
Rationale : Having them at the recommended pressure can save 100kg of GHGs each year.

Advice : Remove unnecessary weight from the car.
Rationale : 50kg less cuts GHGs by up to 2%.

Advice : Use alternative fuels.
Rationale : Diesel can cut GHG emissions by up to 20% compared to petrol.

Advice : Reduce the use of air conditioners in cars.
Rationale : Air conditioning increases fuel consumption and GHG emissions.

Advice : Maintain car air conditioner.
Rationale : Leakage for refrigerants adds to global warming due to CFC and HFC emissions.

Advice : Subscribe to a carbon offset scheme. These schemes plant tress of offset greenhouse gas emissions produced by cars annually.
Rationale : Trees absorb carbon from the air.

Like all expert systems users are presented with relevant options based on previous selections. Further, the advise can be accessed from different menus. From the above example, when the user gets the advice by selecting Transport. However, selecting Buying a Home, would have given the user the same advice with regards to buying a home in close proximity to shops, theatres, etc.

Please see Full Thesis with details of the advice facts, etc for further information.

Developed at La Trobe University, Melbourne Australia                 © Matt Donato 2008