Partner
A gamified approach for homeowners in Detroit to monitor their sustainable resource uses and link them closer to the natural world beyond the city
The Issue
Those in low-income communities throughout Detroit have struggled to balance financial feasibility with being environmentally responsible individuals. Sustainability is often considered a luxury for those in these communities and is disregarded as an unnecessary habit to have.
Detroit’s Data
Detroit’s Waste Incinerator
Out of all South Eastern Michigan Counties, Wayne County has the highest amount of waste created by its population and the lowest percentage of green infrastructure
Energy Costs
Michigan’s renewable energy consumption is a fraction of energy consumed from petroleum and natural gas and has not shown a significant positive trajectory in the past 15 years
Water Use
The resource of water in Detroiters’ homes has become significantly problematic for many facing financially hard times. In 2016, 1 in 6 residents had their water shutoff, unable to do basic tasks such as drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing.
Co-Creation
In refining a design solution, our team conducted multiple co-creation and validation sessions with local Detroiters to gain intimate perspectives and collaborative help from the very users we are designing for
Design Solution
in order for Detroiters to add greater value to sustainable behavior amidst other struggles within low-income communities, we worked to realign the benefits of being environmentally conscious with that of being financially responsible through a gamified management tool
Detroit’s Gateway to Nature
Belle Isle is a nature park island in the Detroit River and one of the only large scale green spaces Detroiters have access to. The island serves as a crucial link between urban residents with the engagement and knowledge of nature.
Belle Isle Aquarium
Belle Isle Conservatory
Belle Isle Nature Center
Making Accountability Real
To encourage Detroit residents to use home resources in sustainably, this monitoring and educational tool allows users to manage their water, energy, and waste in relation to a virtual pet’s well being that responds to changes in resource use. These virtual pets are assigned to users based on real world organisms of Belle Isle’s Aquarium, Conservatory, and Nature Center that they metaphorically “adopt” to be responsible for.
Water Partner
A particular aquatic animal form the Belle Isle Aquarium is adopted and kept track of on one's device, its water level and health dependent on excess water consumption and waste
Energy Partner
cold blooded animals rely on heat in order to survive and function healthily, those from the Belle Isle nature center are adopted and managed according to household energy use
Waste Partner
plant species among those in Belle Isle Conservatory are monitored and react to waste production and its influence on air conditions from which a plant thrives
