Mobile app adds an element of gaming to home energy metering

German GreenPocket's namesake smartphone app “helps consumers share their carbon footprint in a competitive and entertaining way on Facebook.”

There are few aspects of life that can’t be enlivened by a little friendly competition, and home energy metering is no exception. Enter German GreenPocket’s namesake smartphone app, which “helps consumers share their carbon footprint in a competitive and entertaining way on Facebook”. Based in Cologne, GreenPocket is a software provider focusing on the visualization and interpretation of smart metering energy consumption data. As a complement to its smart metering and smart home solutions, the company recently launched a social metering app to sustain consumers’ interest in monitoring their energy use over time. Push notifications inform consumers as to how well they are doing compared with their friends in weekly energy efficiency contests, for example, as well as about other positive developments related to their energy consumption behavior. Users are also able to share their data on Facebook for others to view. GreenPocket CEO Thomas Goette explains: “This combination initiates an innovative dialogue between the utility and the customer and opens up an entirely new channel for utility marketing campaigns.” Gamification is a trend we’ve been tracking for some time already, but we hadn’t yet seen it applied in this arena. Utilities and monitoring companies around the globe: be inspired! Spotted by: Raymond Neo