GE, Center for Science and National Geographic have launched a free online city building game designed to educate the nation's youth about the future of energy.
Plan It Green, which was created by developer Wyse Games, challenges users to design and build the greenest, most energy-efficient city in the world.
Players receive points for energy production, eco-friendliness and overall citizen happiness and advance through game levels by creating a diverse power portfolio and improving their town's energy efficiency using smart grid technologies.
The game aims to improve understanding and awareness of energy issues and help users make better, more informed choices about the efficient use of power.
The game is the first program under the Connect! Transform the Future initiative and will be followed by a short digital 3D film, teacher workshops and exhibits, which will be available at local science centers throughout the United States. The suite of educational materials will be launched this month.
Plan It Green is part of a growing trend that uses digital gaming to build awareness of social and environmental issues.
Earlier this month, Intelen demonstrated its building analytic mobile app, which uses gaming concepts to encourage energy efficiency behavior, at CeBIT in Hanover, Germany. The Building Analytics v2 app is designed for employees of big commercial buildings. Employees, who are formed into "green" teams, can use their smart phone to monitor the building's energy consumption.
Dropoly, an online game developed for homeowners to share energy efficiency ideas and learn what they can save by implementing the changes, was tested by 300 users in January. Dropoly's creators hope to earn revenue from the game by attracting investment partners, such as utilities, government agencies and advertisers.
