When Mental Models Grow (C)old: A Cognitive Perspective on Home Heating Automation

Mental models are internal representations of the physical world that allow people to understand, explain, and operate a target system and predict the outcomes of their actions. Mental models can be used to explain a person's behavior. Adopted from the field of cognitive psychology, they have frequently been applied in ergonomics and human-computer interaction. Home heating systems are important from both a thermal comfort and a sustainability view-point. According to the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, domestic use accounts for 29% of the UK's energy consump-tion, and 65% of this is for space heating. mental model approach to interface design can lead to increased control over the system, which can enable users to achieve their home-heating goals.