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Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing

Rebecca Hafner, Alba Fuertes, Sabine Pahl, Rory Jones, Christine Boomsma, Marta Gangolells, Miquel Casals, Becki Hafner

International Journal of Serious Games, Volume: 7, Issue: 2, Pages: 27 - 48

Swansea University Author: Becki Hafner

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DOI (Published version): 10.17083/ijsg.v7i2.333

Abstract

Concerns about climate change associated with the combustion of fossil fuels urge a call for widespread reductions in household energy use. Determining means of achieving this is a key challenge faced by environmental scientists. The current research presents insights gained from a 12-month empirica...

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Published in: International Journal of Serious Games
ISSN: 1076-898X 2384-8766
Published: Serious Games Society 2020
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa66429
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spelling v2 66429 2024-05-15 Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing a21042aec21e3f06d929a6a3a55f3cc0 Becki Hafner Becki Hafner true false 2024-05-15 PSYS Concerns about climate change associated with the combustion of fossil fuels urge a call for widespread reductions in household energy use. Determining means of achieving this is a key challenge faced by environmental scientists. The current research presents insights gained from a 12-month empirical trial of new serious game for energy, ‘EnergyCat’; which was designed to encourage household energy reductions in the UK social housing sector. Effects of gameplay on consumption behaviours and energy awareness were explored using 82 UK social housing households (versus a no-game control). Results indicated the intervention did not lead to any substantive changes in awareness or consumption practices. However, post-intervention feedback highlighted several issues in terms of game design and usability that may explain why the game failed to change behaviour in this instance. We provide a framework of suggestions as to how the game design process could be improved in order to engage residents in future, including use of adaptive fonts for older residents, and provision of clearer instructions on gameplay objectives at the outset. In addition, researchers should ensure close collaboration is maintained with residents throughout the design process in future efforts, in order to maximise likelihood of ongoing engagement from this population. Journal Article International Journal of Serious Games 7 2 27 48 Serious Games Society 1076-898X 2384-8766 Serious gaming, behaviour change, energy saving, social housing ,sustainability 1 4 2020 2020-04-01 10.17083/ijsg.v7i2.333 COLLEGE NANME Psychology School COLLEGE CODE PSYS Swansea University This research was funded by Horizon 2020 Framework Programme 649673 2024-06-20T12:01:56.1847692 2024-05-15T09:05:33.1418223 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology Rebecca Hafner 1 Alba Fuertes 2 Sabine Pahl 3 Rory Jones 4 Christine Boomsma 5 Marta Gangolells 6 Miquel Casals 7 Becki Hafner 8 66429__30695__9c774b2d59a94ef7b8c8a3a796664bdf.pdf 66429.VoR.pdf 2024-06-20T12:00:55.3237047 Output 1000755 application/pdf Version of Record true This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
title Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing
spellingShingle Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing
Becki Hafner
title_short Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing
title_full Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing
title_fullStr Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing
title_full_unstemmed Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing
title_sort Results and insight gained from applying the EnergyCat energy-saving serious game in UK social housing
author_id_str_mv a21042aec21e3f06d929a6a3a55f3cc0
author_id_fullname_str_mv a21042aec21e3f06d929a6a3a55f3cc0_***_Becki Hafner
author Becki Hafner
author2 Rebecca Hafner
Alba Fuertes
Sabine Pahl
Rory Jones
Christine Boomsma
Marta Gangolells
Miquel Casals
Becki Hafner
format Journal article
container_title International Journal of Serious Games
container_volume 7
container_issue 2
container_start_page 27
publishDate 2020
institution Swansea University
issn 1076-898X
2384-8766
doi_str_mv 10.17083/ijsg.v7i2.333
publisher Serious Games Society
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
document_store_str 1
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description Concerns about climate change associated with the combustion of fossil fuels urge a call for widespread reductions in household energy use. Determining means of achieving this is a key challenge faced by environmental scientists. The current research presents insights gained from a 12-month empirical trial of new serious game for energy, ‘EnergyCat’; which was designed to encourage household energy reductions in the UK social housing sector. Effects of gameplay on consumption behaviours and energy awareness were explored using 82 UK social housing households (versus a no-game control). Results indicated the intervention did not lead to any substantive changes in awareness or consumption practices. However, post-intervention feedback highlighted several issues in terms of game design and usability that may explain why the game failed to change behaviour in this instance. We provide a framework of suggestions as to how the game design process could be improved in order to engage residents in future, including use of adaptive fonts for older residents, and provision of clearer instructions on gameplay objectives at the outset. In addition, researchers should ensure close collaboration is maintained with residents throughout the design process in future efforts, in order to maximise likelihood of ongoing engagement from this population.
published_date 2020-04-01T12:01:56Z
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score 11.012678

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