On June 26th, 2025, Metlen, the lead partner for the EBENTO pilot site in Athens, organised an online workshop and focus group with household participants involved in the project. The aim was to gather residents’ feedback on their experience with home monitoring technologies and introduce the functionalities of the EBENTO OSS platform. Focus group participants were selected from the Athens pilot test site. The session began with a presentation to introduce the EBENTO OSS platform and raise awareness of its features.

Although residents had no direct access to data from the Metlen-installed IoT devices, the session allowed partners to gather valuable feedback on participants’ interaction with smart home systems and their expectations for future use of the EBENTO OSS platform. Demonstrations included the types of data collected—such as real-time energy consumption, indoor environmental conditions, and control data from their homes—highlighting the platform’s potential to support energy awareness and smarter home management.

However, feedback revealed that many participants had limited interaction with the data. Several admitted they were unaware that data was available to view, or had only briefly glanced at it. “I’ve glanced at the data a couple of times, but it hasn’t become part of my routine.” “Honestly, I didn’t realize there was any data I could look at.”

Accessing the platform was often described as confusing, with unclear sensor labels and a user interface that felt cluttered or overly technical. While some residents appreciated seeing live figures, they struggled to interpret the data or take meaningful action based on it.

Participants emphasized the need for simpler, more intuitive design, and expressed interest in having a brief tutorial or onboarding guide when first using the platform. Suggestions included the addition of alerts or summary views to draw attention to important changes in indoor environmental quality. Though some residents found the platform’s concept valuable and said it made them more conscious of energy use, others felt the lack of guidance limited their engagement.

Facilitators observed mixed levels of user motivation: while some participants were interested in personalised insights and real-time feedback, others were discouraged by the technical nature of the platform and its lack of clear instructions. Overall, the feedback showed that usability, clarity, and guided support are critical for ensuring broader engagement with the EBENTO OSS platform.

Reflections and Recommendations

Reflections from the Athens pilot team underscored the importance of delivering energy data in an accessible, user-friendly manner. The most significant takeaway was that residents need simple, reliable tools to access and interpret household monitoring data. Many participants disengaged due to confusion or lack of awareness, indicating a gap in onboarding and communication. Future iterations of the EBENTO OSS platform should focus on plain language, clear sensor labeling, fast issue resolution, and user education on topics like indoor air quality. By improving the platform’s usability and offering more actionable insights, EBENTO can better support residents in making informed, energy-conscious decisions in their homes.

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