A game based approach on eliminating computer energy waste

Abstract

Energy reduction is one of the main challenges that countries around the world currently face. Two serious games were implemented with waste-oriented feedback, for the work environment (IdleWars) and for the home environment (EcoScreenCatcher). These games were competition oriented games designed to raise awareness of computer-based energy consumption. Both games deployed "in the wild" and were evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively. IdleWars is a pervasive and competition-oriented game. Workers' pro-environmental or wasteful behaviour is reflected in their game score, and displayed through eco-feedback visualisations. A two-week field deployment revealed that the physical and competitive elements of the game work well in engaging participants. The design was successful in catalysing and polarising existing social dynamics. Participants developed tactics and appropriated the game and extended its rules, sometimes in a way that favoured engagement and fun rather than conservation behaviour. EcoScreen- Catcher is a software-based competition-oriented game that calls attention to PC energy waste. Similarly to IdleWars, the human involvement in the feedback is an important design element. EcoScreenCatcher was deployed for over three weeks, with a total of 23 university students. Quantitative analysis showed that the game caused PC idle time reduction for players with four or more game friendships during the first week of playing. Post-study semi-structured interviews showed attitude changes and awareness of sustainability, as well as spill over effects to other appliances and to people who did not participate. To better understand the perception of waste in the home, interview analysis was undertaken of a study already conducted (and not part of this work) by the University of Southampton and by Kingston University. The analysis showed that the majority of participants' appliances being on when not in use as waste, as well as not using a resource to its full potential. Waste perception is in influenced by attributes such as comfort, cleanliness, culture, technological advancement, and age. Such a result shows that eco-feedback tools are not one-size-fits-all, and the human element combined with waste-oriented feedback has the potential to raise awareness and change behaviour.

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