Business Village tenant comes up trumps with innovative Net Zero game changer

Digital card game demonstrates the impact of building methods on net zero

A Barnsley software development company has created an online game which helps people learn how to decarbonise homes. Targeted Agency developed the game for the NetZero Collective to use at a high-profile exhibition in Manchester.

The NetZero Collective brings together property owners, industry partners, and academic bodies. Their remit is to help clients decarbonise their housing stock.

The new game was part of their exhibit at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) conference 2022, so it had to meet the following goals:

• Engage with conference delegates
• Raise awareness of home decarbonisation methods
• Capture delegate contact information
• Reinforce the NetZero Collective’s brand

Targeted Agency worked on the game from concept through to completion

Targeted Agency were involved in the game from the very beginning. Working closely with the NetZero Collective, they developed the idea together. The final game is one of chance, based on the old TV series ‘Play Your Cards Right’.

Because the best answer can be easily guessed, players receive randomised cards. Each has a different impact on carbon footprint and the figures alter depending on the card. This helps players see the effect on annual energy usage, carbon emissions and cost.

The game covers six categories, ranging from wall insulation through to solar panels. With three cards in each category, there are 130 possible outcomes. It made it a complex process to arrive at the right place.

Shaun Bellis, CEO of Targeted Agency, said “The conference was a high-profile event with 300 exhibitors and 450 speakers. It attracted 8,000 delegates, many of whom were VIPs, so the game had to be accurate. It displays a random card, but also shows the other options and data. Players can then click to read more about the baseline information. It was important for these details to be exact, so lots of work went into formulating them for the game.”

Energy saving servers were an important part of the development

Hosting the game on energy saving servers was an important factor for the project. Coincidentally, Targeted Agency were already in the process of moving to 100% renewable servers, so it was great timing.

It’s part of the company’s drive towards environmental improvements. One current activity is establishing baseline emissions. More improvements are anticipated once this is completed. But, in the meantime, the office has recycling bins, and many staff members drive electric vehicles.

As for the future of the game?

With the CIH conference now finished, further developments are being planned. The next step is to repurpose the game to make it more educational and self-explanatory.

“Our client was really pleased with the game we developed. It’s important now to provide the same information without a person there to explain. We work with companies in lots of different ways and do many different things. There’s always more to a project than simply software and it all starts with a conversation.”

Targeted Agency creates bespoke web-based software for clients. Based at The Business Village, they provide technological solutions for a range of tricky business challenges focusing on digital transformation.

To find out more about Targeted Agency, visit https://targeted.agency

To learn more about the Net Zero Accelerator at The Business Village

Email: ksteel@barnsleyBIC.co.uk 

or visit #NetZeroBarnsley

Funding for the Net Zero Accelerator at The Business Village comes from the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Barnsley Metropolitan Council.