Government of Yukon home energy calculator
Background
Based on a technical spreadsheet tool that was emailed to applicants, in 2015 I was hired to design a more accessible digital energy cost calculator that could be used by anyone without needing specialized software or skills.
Purpose
The vision for the web-based calculator was to enable users to estimate and compare the various building, heating and mortgage long-term costs associated with constructing or retrofitting a residential home.
Design
Over several months, I worked with a developer and the client team to design, then iterate on different user interface options that took these advanced calculation concepts and made them fun, simple and approachable. The end result was a software design that was highly interactive and garnered much positive feedback from citizens.
Play
People appreciated the interface's easy-to-use style and language which allowed them to experiment or "play” with the results by manipulating options for heating fuel and appliances via custom form controls. Other adjustments included fields to change inflation and energy escalation rates, as well as mortgage payments and terms.
