Designing persuasive technology for schools to save energy

Energy efficiency is essential in overcoming environmental, economic, and energy security challenges. Public buildings, from a global perspective, are a significant source of electrical energy waste and are currently considered dominant objects in energy efficiency studies. Solutions to reduce electricity consumption in public buildings point directly to technological transformation (use of more efficient equipment and sensors) leaving a gap in the behavioral component. In this research, a persuasive technology is designed and implemented to promote energy efficiency practices in school buildings. A case study was carried out in 2 Mozambican schools to analyze the context of persuasion and then a persuasive technology was built based on Fogg's behavioral model and persuasive systems design model. The results reveal that systems that offer immediate visual and audible feedback on the energy usage are highly persuasive, promoting behavioral change and a consequent reduction in electrical energy consumption.