Pilot application in the selected families in Piraquara (PR)

Section of the video tour conducted in one of the families visited.

On 03/10/2012 members of the Center of Design and Sustainability visited and applied the pilot Cultural Probes tools in two families of the neighborhood of Santa Helena in Piraquara (PR). Each family received a kit containing disposable cameras, a calendar/diary and other tools to record. Through these kits, the families could make a record of the daily activities related to the water and energy consumption at home.

After using the tools of the Probes, on 04/03/2012 one of the families participated in a semistructured interview with questions about the use of equipment in their homes. This interview was possible to compare the information gathered from the kits, evaluate some aspects further and identify new opportunities within the design and implementation of the tool.

This accomplished pilot is part of the drafting of this tools in the project. The data collected will be analyzed and evaluated by researchers to identify improvements in the process and in tools applied. The analysis and conclusion of the pilot will be crucial for the team to prepare for the next and most important stage of the project.

Workshop about the survey results and tools for the Cultural Probes

On February 8, members of the Center for Design & Sustainability (NDS) UFPR promoted training on the implementation of cultural probes and tools for the other participating members of the research network. This training was attended by researchers from the Universidade Federal do Paraná, UFBA and UFSM. Besides the training, there was also a presentation of the results found in the survey conducted by NDS, which were used as the basis for selection of families for the subsequent application of the Cultural Probes.

During the training, Professor Tracy Brahmra Longhbourn University (England) made a brief presentation on the topic "Changing Behaviour Through Products" through videoconferencing. In this presentation were approached  issues about the experiences with the use of tools and data analysis of the cultural probes, within communities of England and Mexico, as well as some recommendations for the use of tools.

After the presentation of Professor Tracy, were conducted some presentations regarding the project progress and the tools set for application in the pilot family in Piraquara (PR). About the these tools, the participating members made some suggestions of changes for improving the application protocol. Among these suggestions was previously established the application of the probes to the beginning of March. The NDS members will develop an application kit for the Cultural Probes that will be sent to other members of the network for its proper application in the pilot phase. The simultaneous application of the pilot tools will be important to identify the dynamics of application particuliaridades considering the different contexts in which they will be applied.

Below are available from the presentations files shown during the training.

• Results of the survey and tools analysis
• Cultural probes - applications and analysis protocol
• Cultural probes - progress and tools developed

3rd Workshop meeting of coordinators of the Network 22: presentation of results

The 3rd Meeting of the Research Network took place on 9 and 10 February, in the Free University of the Environment (Unilivre) in Curitiba. This meeting was attended by members of eight institutions that comprise the project network (UFBA, UNISINOS, UFSC, UFMS, UFS, UFPel, UFES and UFPR), Besides these members, the meeting was attended by consultants from FINEP and the Housing Company of Paraná (Cohapar).





The implementation of the event was held with the collaboration of members of the Center of Design and Sustainability (NDS) UFPR.During the presentations, Professor. Dr. Enedir Ghisi was responsible for organizing discussions about administrative and financial issues in order to adjust and clarify the dynamics of the network.

At another moment in the meeting, researchers presented the preliminary results of each subproject in the form of technical Congress sessions. During the event were presented 24 short seminars that showed advances of each of the subprojects (2, 3, 5 and 6) of this network. This model allowed greater interaction between researchers from different institutions, making room for discussions after each presentation. The meetings of the network assist in the monitoring of projects by consultants from FINEP and contribute effectively in the integration of projects and researchers.

The slides presented by network are available for download on the link below:
Download the slides presented during the meeting.

Meeting of the Network for the Rational Use of Water and Energy Efficiency in Social Housing

Under the local coordination of the Center of Design and Sustainability (UFPR), held on 9 and 10 February a meeting of the "Research Network on Rational Use of Water and Energy Efficiency in Social Housing", a project funded by FINEP - Innovation Agency of the Federal Government. During the meeting, teachers and researchers from nine institutions across the country that are part of that network, will be sharing the progress of their research: UFBA (Bahia), UNISINOS (Rio Grande do Sul), UFSC (Santa Catarina), UFMS (Mato Grosso do Sul), UFS (Sergipe), Universidade Federal de Pelotas (Pelotas - RS), UFES (Holy Spirit), IPT (São Paulo) and Universidade Federal do Paraná (Paraná).


The event should occur on the dependences of the Free University of the Environment (Unilivre) and is restricted to research teams from institutions that integrate the Network and invited persons from the industry and government. The previous meetings took place in Florianópolis (February/2011) and Salvador (agosto/2011). At the meeting in Curitiba, the format adopted is similar to the technical sessions of Congress, with the presentation of 20 papers which should report the progress of each institution related to its contributions to achieving the goals and objectives established for the Network. In addition to the articles will be discussed the protocol for data collection, analysis strategy, a plan for disseminating the results of the network, reported how are the finance managed by FEESC, among other things.


Through the activities of the Network institutions hope to contribute effectively to the development of innovative sustainable technologies that promote the rational use of water, renewable energy and increase energy efficiency in social housing.