Why occupier behavioural change is hampering the drive to net zero – and how gamification can help

In the built environment, energy efficiency improvements typically spark conversations around costly retrofits, involving, say, the replacement of heaters and coolers with more efficient models, or the installation of wall insulation and double-glazing windows.

The challenges of focusing on these types of improvement are that they are time consuming and could put buildings, or at least sections of buildings, out of use for a while. It therefore requires a high amount of engagement and buy-in from tenants, which has historically been hard to obtain.

Changing workplace behaviours and practices is just as important as new tech or expensive retrofits and unless we can encourage better practices among occupiers to save wasted energy, the costs will continue to be carried throughout the building’s life.

So, how do we get building occupiers to participate and change their energy consumption behaviours? Gamification may well be the answer.

Gamification is a tried and tested behaviour change tool that leverages people’s innate competitive spirit to drive lasting change. It increases user engagement and can make a typically boring or mundane task fun.

Take running, cycling and hiking app Strava. It works because it spurs self-improvement through competition and provides feedback through exhaustive data from the calories you burn, distances covered or even your personal best times. It also allows you to interact with those you normally wouldn’t, while being relatively easy and fun to use.

There is also a massive community behind it that makes the activity even more engaging. It’s also a very popular app among those working in the property industry, particularly the weekend warriors and cyclists who like to communicate, bond and exchange ideas to make the experience more enjoyable. If applied to a situation like energy efficiency where, let’s face it, the conversations tend to be very technical and dry, gamification can make a significant difference.

CUBE Competition is the Strava of energy efficiency for commercial buildings. It is the first dedicated programme that builds on these principles and applies them to commercial real estate in the UK. It’s an innovative approach that targets landlords, building managers and occupiers and, through gamification, mobilises them to reduce their consumption in office buildings – i.e. the logical first step to net zero.

The year-long competition mirrors that of a sports season, with monthly rankings and an annual awards ceremony, and has the added benefit of fostering a community through monthly newsletters and quarterly candidate meetings. The competition launched in the UK in March 2022 for its first season, with participating buildings ranging from small grade II listed buildings to iconic skyscrapers such as the ‘Walkie-Talkie’ (pictured) and the ‘Cheesegrater’.

A major part of CUBE is the community it creates, which is often cited as one of the most valuable aspects of the competition. CUBE sets up a space for building managers and landlords to share their challenges and ideas around sustainability, something unheard of before.

In just 10 months, the participants have achieved 26GWh energy savings and reduced costs by £6m. The energy alone is enough to power 5,200 homes in the UK. By the end of the competition, participants are expected to save an average of 12% to 15% in energy, with top performers saving more than 30%.

While it is recognised that large capital investments will play a part in most buildings’ net zero considerations, these often take a long time to implement. CUBE and gamification provide a starting point to spark more immediate action, making energy efficiency and sustainability that much more exciting and impactful.

Mark Bruno is a chief ambassador for the CUBE Competition