iWeb: The Carbon Centre Leaky Buildings Game

iWeb have developed a new environmentally aware flash game for the Carbon Centre to raise awareness of carbon emissions from leaky buildings and just how much heat can be lost through gaps in the fabric of the building.

The Carbon Centre, an academic institute based in Dumfries, Scotland, tasked Liz Reason from Reasons to be Cheerful to develop a fun and simple mechanism to increase awareness and educate about the failings in traditional building techniques, how these are impacting on the environment and what can be done to resolve the problem.

Targeted at architects, builders, trades people and homeowners the game developed by iWeb tasks you to plug as many holes in the building as possible with mastic; gaps around windows and doors, roofs, floors and walls, where a pipe or wire has been drilled through and gaps in insulation. The journey takes you around the clock. During the day a smoke test shows where heat is leaking out and at night a thermal image camera shows the areas where heat is lost. Each level has more houses so you have to move quickly and keep your eyes peeled to target all the leaks.

The more leaks you plug, the higher your score. As you play, you are asked questions which you can answer true or false to increase your score and reduce your Carbon Footprint. When starting the game you are classed as a Bigfoot and as your score improves you become a Biggish, Mid and ultimately a Lightfoot. The top 10 scores get onto the leader-board so you have to keep playing to improve your score and beat your friends.

At the end of the game you are presented with a summary of where things may have gone wrong and how to improve for next time.

The game will be distributed at exhibitions and conferences and virally and can be found at www.carboncentre.org/leaky-buiding.