Using gaming to reduce household energy use Researchers with the EU-funded GreenPlay project have created Apolis Planeta, an innovative game that requires users to become more energy efficient in the real world in order to save a virtual world from decontamination. Energy © GreenPlay A key component to tackling climate change is reducing household energy consumption. However, this is easier said than done. To succeed, citizens must first be aware of the energy they are using, understand how this contributes to climate change and – most importantly – change their behaviour. The EU-funded GreenPlay project addresses this challenge via an innovative, engaging, and interactive game aimed at helping citizens reduce their electricity use. The result is the world’s first social network based solely on the objective of promoting and sharing positive actions for reducing household energy consumption. “First and foremost, GreenPlay deepens people’s awareness about environmental issues by providing them with real-time insight into their daily energy habits,” says project coordinator Jérémy Legardeur. “To ensure this information led to actual changes in behaviour, we packaged GreenPlay in the form of a serious game and fun social network.” Game on According to Legardeur, a serious game is one that adds value beyond pure entertainment. “They are innovative training tools that help develop different kinds of skills,” he says. “These types of games are associated with the learning of new concepts and skills and for increasing awareness about a particular issue.” Researchers with the GreenPlay project created Apolis Planeta, a mix of a serious game and social network platform. The game is built on the eGreen monitoring platform, which uses data collected from smart metres placed throughout a house that monitor a player’s electrical consumption. By analysing the collected data, the platform provides users with custom advice and suggestions for reducing their energy use – all presented via the Apolis Planeta serious game. Apolis Planeta shifts the boundary between the real and virtual worlds by encouraging real actions in order to save a virtual world from disaster. “Users can earn virtual money, called Greenies, by reducing their energy use,” explains Legardeur. “They can then spend these Greenies to help decontaminate an area of the heavily polluted Apolis Planeta by proposing an image, message, or drawing.” Both the eGreen and Apolis Planeta platforms are available for use by other energy consumption-based games. Valuable data Not only is GreenPlay helping change individual consumer behaviour, it also allows researchers to collect valuable data. Since its launch, data on energy use has been collected and analysed from over 150 homes in France and Spain. This data provides researchers with detailed consumption profiles and trends in heating, hot water, and electricity use in apartments. Furthermore, the data also gives researchers a better understanding of how serious games can be utilised to influence consumer behaviour. This insight is now being used to fine-tune both the eGreen platform and Apolis Planeta game. For example, researchers are currently working with ENEDIS, the French national electricity provider, to connect the eGreen and Apolis Planeta platforms to the company’s smart metres. “If successful, we will have the opportunity to propose our solutions to all French citizens and to other countries using the smart metre system,” adds Legardeur. Keywords GreenPlay, Apolis Planeta, Energy Efficiency, Smart Metres, energy consumption, ENEDIS, eGreen household energy
