Application of the questionnaire in Balsa Nova

 On 29/8 a group of researchers at the Center for Design and Sustainability (NDS) from Federal University of Parana went at the city of Balsa Nova to apply the questionnaire on water consumption habits and energy. 
During the day, questionnaires were filled in 33 houses in the community of Mirante do Iguaçu. 

During the day, questionnaires were filled in 33 houses in the community of Mirante do Iguaçu. 
This research was attended by 12 people, including two exchange students from Germany. Before applying, all gathered to read the instruction manual of the questionnaire and make the planning of how the interviews would be made in the homes. 

Pictured above, prof. Aguinaldo 
(Project coordinator) and prof. 
Naotake Fucushima interviewing 
one of the residents.

During the interview, it was initially possible to notice some peculiarities, problems and questions of residents with regard their water and energy consumption. For example: 
- Most of the interviewed had in mind the values of your water and energy bills; 
- Some residents had questions regarding the values ​​presented in their energy and/or water bills; 
- Many did not have a social tariff (for energy and/or water) and the main reasons are: lack of information or lack of access to information (not knowing about the existence of the tariff or not knowing that they could and how they could use this rate) or because they exceeded the maximum allowed consumption due to the difficulty in control the spending, thus would be excluded from the program for the next six months. 
Some curious facts also puzzled the researchers, for example, one of the homes had no refrigerator, however, was one of the few who had a computer.