Energy efficiency and sustainability are increasingly on the public agenda. On TV, on the radio, on the internet, in all media there are news related to this important growing topic. Not only should more experienced people contribute and be aware of the innovations and transformations of this sector, but also the younger public, from an early age, needs to understand these issues as they are fundamental to reach broader ones such as climate change and environmental protection.

End-user engagement strategies

Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML) is a social policy-oriented organization that provides assistance and care services for the most social and economic disadvantaged groups from the city of Lisbon. Many of these groups, as you can see from what will happen in the SMART2B project, are children groups. It is these young people who, in the future but in the presente too, will be responsible for managing and implementing an entire idea of energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies, while leaving this sustainable message for future generations.

Under the SMART2B project, in the pilot phase, SCML will carry out several activities with kids and young adults living in 9 foster homes/buildings (where the energy efficiency appliances will be installed) in order to educate them and include them in these extremely important topics. Activities will range from cultural (readings, direction of theater plays and field trips) to technological (familiarization with the project’s energy devices, official App and gamification concept), always linked to the project´s main themes.

It is necessary that these young people feel that they are part of this project, that they are motivated and, above all, to know some dynamics of this area a little better. SCML will work with youngsters from 6 to 25 years, with different personalities. But it will be important that, each one in their own way, have a background on these topics that will allow them to make a difference in the future and pass this knowledge on to those who come after them.
The concept of gamification spoken above will be one of the most anticipated news. This system, currently being developed by the partners EDP New and FC.ID, consists on the creation of a game related to the project, which will involve the themes of energy efficiency, environmental preservation, among others. It will have all the elements of a traditional video game: missions, difficulty levels and experience points (XP). Knowing the fascination that kids today feel for this type of applications, it is expected that it will be a tremendous success in the attempt to include and motivate them towards the goals proposed by SMART2B.

The aim is not only to create a network of intelligent buildings, but also to make their residents aware of what is happening there. Only then will the paradigm change, moving from passive to active end-users in this search for an easier, cleaner and cheaper use of energy. The cooperation between the SMART2B SCML team, the staff of the foster homes and the end-users will be crucial to reach a successful conclusion. Educate, motivate and include will be the keywords for this purpose.