4 Ways Gamification Can Promote Sustainable Urban Planning
Sustainable urban planning has grown quite significantly in the modern day. Especially when we want to build economically flourishing cities that are useful for their citizens with respect to quality and sustainability alike. Still, reaching these objectives is a difficult challenge requiring creative solutions.
On the other side, there is gamification; a potent tool used in urban design to promote involvement, learning, and cooperation among several stakeholders. Gamification is the use of game-design features and ideas outside of the game industry to create and test out a plethora of ideas and creativities.
In the field of urban planning, it can be an absolute game-changer. Especially by means of the increased participatory and inclusive planning process, as well as by offering data-driven insights to direct decision-making. Using gaming technologies can provide indefinite assistance in creating sustainable solutions that are not only efficient but also admirably quick, as cities all around face issues with the stroke of urbanization, climate change, and resource management.
We’ll discuss 4 ways in which gamification can promote urban planning in an effective way, so without further ado, let’s begin!
Innovative Gaming Techniques for Sustainable Cities
Modern gaming methods are revolutionizing urban design and increasing inclusiveness along with its appeal. Why not pay attention to the fact that today, various modern gaming innovations can help people in planning and organizing real-life issues based on simulated experiences? Fast urbanization and climate change are not exceptions. For example, simulation games like “Cities: Skylines” let residents and planners see the effects of several development approaches instantly.
The fundamentals of gaming technologies are the advancements that the tech industry records, and the more it grows, the more enhanced games get released with useful features. This may result in strategies that promote sustained results and help to make better decisions. Studies indicate that these kinds of games improve public knowledge of urban systems, therefore facilitating the application of sustainable practices.
Furthermore, new developments in data collecting—such as the “Crowdsourced City” project—allow cities to compile real-time citizen data, therefore improving efficiency in reducing greenhouse gas (GDG). Important instruments in the process of creating more resilient and environmentally friendly metropolitan settings can be tested and brought about in real life through gaming innovations.
Gamified Citizen Engagement Platforms
Ensuring that every person in society has a voice is one of the most significant challenges in any urban design and planning strategy. One creative response to this issue is gamified platforms. These systems encourage people to take part in the planning process by including components such as challenges, incentives, and leaderboards. Platforms like “Minecraft for Cities,” for instance, let viewers view metropolitan projects and offer comments in a game-like setting. This method not only raises involvement but also enables planners to get insightful information from a heterogeneous collection of stakeholders.
Studies have indicated that actively involved members in the planning process are more likely to support and follow sustainable projects. For instance, a UN study revealed that effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in metropolitan settings depends on community involvement.
Gamified platforms help cities guarantee more inclusive planning, thus producing better and more sustainable results.
Simulation Games
Urban planning now makes great use of simulation games to help both residents and planners see the long-term effects of different development choices. More than just entertainment, games like “SimCity” and “Cities: Skylines”, are sophisticated models that replicate the complexity of metropolitan ecosystems. These simulations let users run through several planning ideas, including creating public transit networks or green infrastructure and quickly track the results as well.
For example, according to YorkU News, among non-experts, simulation games might greatly improve knowledge of urban systems. The studies revealed that participants of these games were more likely to support sustainable policies and improved in understanding the trade-offs involved in planning decisions.
Using simulation games in real-world planning allows communities to evaluate several approaches before putting them into use. This way, they lower the chance of expensive errors and guarantee that sustainability is given priority.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Effective urban planning is mostly dependent on terabytes worth of data. Hence, gamification is quite important and easy for data collection and effective analysis. Including game elements in data-gathering procedures helps cities inspire citizens to provide useful information for implementation in planning choices, adding to the role of technology in sustainability.
One project using gamified apps to gather data on urban concerns including traffic congestion, pollution, and public safety is “Crowdsourced City.” Reporting issues or recommending changes earns participants points and awards, therefore transforming data collecting into a project with fascinating results.
This method not only improves data collecting efficiency but also the quality of the gathered data. According to Weforum, cities implementing data-driven decision-making techniques and digital use cases can aid in the efficiency of an 8% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) by 2050. Urban designers can make better decisions that support resilience and sustainability by using gamification to compile and examine data.
Wrapping It Up!
Achieving long-term urban sustainability calls for public education on sustainable practices. Since gamified learning systems make learning enjoyable and participatory, they can be rather important for this. Innovative ideas like gamified engagement platforms, stimulatory games, and data-driven decision making processes can surely promote the foundations of sustainable urban planning in the modern world.