The Prospectory enjoys having an eclectic mix of projects on the go at any time. It stops us getting bored!
Over the past 3 years, Alison has been exploring how to keep people warm in their homes without wasting energy. Her most recent study in 2024 collected thermal warmth samples on 30 winter days from 77 participants in 61 UK homes heated either by Heat pumps, Infrared panels or conventional central heating. The aim was to identify the main factors which affect individuals’ thermal comfort in their everyday lives at home. This followed 2 earlier studies – a domestic heat trial in 12 homes in rural Wales and an interview study of 20 UK households on their experience of using Infrared as their main source of heating.
In Spring 2022, The Prospectory started a natural regeneration experiment in a field attached to an upland wood in Talybont on Usk. We are photographing and surveying what happens and documenting our occasional interventions.
In Spring 2022, Alison’s artist colleagues in Larks & Ravens worked with 6th form Brecon Beacons college students to create alternative narratives and self portraits to bring the challenge of different voices into the Victorian Courtroom at Brecon y Gaer Museum. An exhibition ran in y Gaer for a month in April 2022. At the end of the summer, the Larks & Ravens reproduced one of Wales’ National artworks onto the outside windows of y Gaer. The National Welsh Collection of art belongs to everyone in Wales so our idea was to bring it outside for everyone to help paint and enjoy.
Some of The Prospectory’s past projects include:-
- Survey of 325 UK residents on what they find the enjoyable or meaningful or difference-making activities in their lives. Aim was to explore our ability to prosper enjoyably and meaningfully in a world of less economic growth, less consumption and less paid work.
- Jointly setting up the Eco Travel Network (2012-2018) which won the Green Transport Prize in 2013 and the Low Carbon Champions Award for Low Carbon Road Transport Initiative of the Year 2014.
- Studying psychology of low energy rural travel.
- Collaborative research on an art and conservation project
- Designing and running a trial of 2 converted electric buggies for tourists to use. The b-bug project was selected by the Guardian Green Travel List as one of the top 25 most innovative eco-tourism projects in 2011.
- Studying visitor travel in the Brecon Beacons National Park
- Studying how tourists find things out
- Co-designing and testing a unique 17 foot pedal powered boat ‘Winsome’ for use on canals, lakes and rivers.
- Researching wooden boat buying values and behaviour and the role of boat shows.
- Designing and running a trial of electric bikes.
- Designing and running a trial of smart energy meters in 10 Welsh homes
- Running an experiment on psychological reactions to food waste.
- Exploring live rugby as a consumer product for The Scarlets and Welsh Rugby Union.
- Designing and running experiments in consumer art appreciation and online retail.
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