Research Article

Fossil-free village simulation game

¹ Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Lucerne, Switzerland
² New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE

^* e-mail: uwe.schulz@hslu.ch

Received: 21 February 2023
Accepted: 14 June 2023

Abstract

How can the energy supply of a community be transformed to become fossil-free and thus become more sustainable while remaining affordable? “Sarnetz”, an online computer game implemented by a multi-disciplinary research team from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, is providing possible answers for a specific case in the Swiss Alps. Unique measures for their implementation are discussed, in terms of relative impact on the CO₂-balance, sourcing of local energy and investments. Further consideration includes the attractiveness for inhabitants and tourists as well as the business case for a “small to medium size enterprise (SME)”. The simulation is set-up as a game for teaching inhabitants and students. Participants compete as a team, taking on different roles, implementing measures to satisfy the objectives of a sustainable solution. The feedback and assessments from Swiss, Japanese, and Middle East students indicate that this approach could be successfully applied to other parts of the world. Suggestions are given, as to the transferability of the simulation, requiring different measures to achieve a fossil free community.