Gamifying sustainable energy education: A serious game approach

Abstract

This paper presents an innovative approach to sustainable energy education by utilizing serious games as interactive and immersive tools for enhancing the learning experience. Developed in the context of the Horizon Europe Project RES4CITY, the serious games suite offers a wide array of educational advantages, particularly in the dissemination and internalization of complex concepts related to renewable energy, circular economy, and the green transition. These gamified tools enable the simulation of realistic energy-related contexts and promote cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement among learners. The games offer a robust mechanism for upskilling in technical and soft competencies, while also encouraging critical thinking and sustainability-oriented decision-making. This paper highlights the complementary role of gamification in formal education and professional training.