Your Very Own Polar Bear: Drawing Attention to Household Energy Efficiency Through Gamification

This research article presents a virtual HomeMascot intervention, based on gamified AI and IoT technologies, to motivate the reduction of household energy consumption. Home-Mascot, an endearing polar bear figure, motivates households to use energy in a sustainable way. Results of the study indicate that user-oriented, personalized real-time feedback on house-hold energy and water consumption can increase awareness of sustainable living, and especially affects children's consumption behavior. The article describes the development, implementation, and measurement of effects of the intervention. HomeMascot has the potential to promote energy awareness in private households and the technical insights presented in the study serve as a blueprint for future energy usage monitoring systems designed to inform and activate users.