Activating Prosumers through AI - UCD’s Role in Advancing Digital Tools for DIGITISE

In this interview, we spoke with Vlasis Koutsos, Research Assistant at University College Dublin (UCD), about the university’s contribution to the DIGITISE project. With strong expertise in machine learning and behavioural modelling, UCD plays a key role in developing digital applications that place consumers, especially prosumers, at the center of the energy transition. Vlasis shares how UCD’s work is supporting energy and well-being literacy through AI-powered tools, promoting more informed and secure household energy use. He also discusses the collaborative efforts within DIGITISE, the expected outcomes, and how their research could inform future policies for a more sustainable and user-driven energy ecosystem in Europe. 

D: What is UCD’s core expertise in the DIGITISE project, and how does it support the overall mission of digital transformation in energy communities? 

V: What we bring into the mix is a rich experience and deep understanding of design and implementation techniques that enable the prosumers to enjoy tailored, personalized, services using state-of-the-art machine learning tools. More precisely we will utilize these tools and techniques to develop two applications that will empower prosumers towards an even better energy, and health and security literacy, bettering their lives overall. 

D: Could you describe the main tools or methodologies UCD is developing within the project and how they are expected to empower consumers? 

We focus on delivering a suite of components that will collectively express the functionalities of our applications. To realize the Health and Security Application, amongst others, we will develop an AI-powered profiling engine that will be responsible for analyzing user behavior and household usage patterns. It will extract patterns based on daily routines, enabling the system to adapt to each household’s unique needs. This engine will detect deviations from typical behavior that may indicate potential health or security risks. Last, based on these insights and patterns, the engine will make decisions to either trigger automated control actions or issue contextual recommendations aimed at improving both comfort and safety. In an analogous manner, the Behavioural Profiling and Insights Application will rely on the Behavioural Profiling Engine. This core component will use diverse data sources and apply behavioural modelling techniques to generate meaningful insights. It will ingest real-time IoT data from smart meters and indoor environmental sensors, which will then be contextualized through integration with Household Digital Twin representations. Using segmentation and clustering algorithms, the engine will identify distinct behavioural patterns and consumer profiles. The dynamicity of the functionality of this application allows for the ongoing update of user profiles with lifestyle indicators and emerging behavioural traits. 

D: In what ways is UCD collaborating with other partners to ensure interoperability, data accuracy, and usability of digital tools? 

V: We are collaborating with other partners mainly in two ways: (i) in developing the two applications mentioned above (health and security, and behavioural analytics) that communicate with other DIGITISE components for getting data and other outputs, and (ii) in reviewing and providing feedback to other tasks across work packages. Other than that, our developed applications are tailored to the needs of the prosumers it services and is harmoniously incorporated into the broader DIGITISE solutions ecosystem. 

D: What outcomes does UCD aim to deliver by the end of the project, and how will these contribute to broader energy efficiency or consumer engagement objectives? 

V: Our focus is the well-being and energy literacy of the prosumers. Through both our applications, users can identify ways to better their living conditions and associate them with their behavioural habits.  

D: How do you envision UCD’s work in DIGITISE influencing future policies or initiatives within the European energy transition framework? 

V: First, we are aiming to design and implement innovative elements into our applications’ infrastructure, leading to corresponding advancements in the field. Additionally, we aspire for our core techniques to be of independent interest in the broader research community, and specifically applicable within the European energy transition framework. Via understanding better the prosumers behaviors and advancing their quality of life, prosumers can actively contribute to the sustainability and decarbonization goals. 

D: Thank you for your time, and we are waiting for more updates from UCD!

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