As part of the ExPEDite Living Lab activities, two interactive workshops held in February and March 2026 at Riga Technical University (RTU) brought together 149 students to explore and test the project’s digital engagement tools. These alpha testing sessions provided a valuable opportunity to assess how future users perceive the ExPEDite Mobile App, its gamification features, and its role in supporting sustainable behaviours and Positive Energy Districts (PEDs).

A Strong Foundation for Digital Engagement

The workshops revealed encouraging levels of interest in the ExPEDite Mobile App. Around half of participating students expressed clear willingness to use the app beyond the classroom, while approximately 60% indicated they would be open to sharing their energy consumption data to take part in community challenges. These findings highlight a strong baseline for digital engagement—particularly when tools are designed to foster collaboration and collective impact.

However, the results also point to a nuanced reality: while interest is high, consistent and active participation is not guaranteed. A significant share of students reported they would engage with the app only if necessary, signalling the importance of refining the user experience and strengthening motivation mechanisms.

What Students Want: Smarter, Clearer, More Impactful Digital Tools

Across both testing groups, students consistently emphasised the need for more intuitive and impactful digital solutions. The most requested improvements included:

• Real-time data visualisation, enabling users to track energy use and environmental impact dynamically
• Clear visibility of personal and collective impact, helping users understand how their actions contribute to broader sustainability goals
• Simplified access and usability, reducing friction in everyday interaction with the app

Students also expressed strong interest in features that connect digital engagement with real-world experiences, such as local challenges, event-based missions, and collaborative activities.

Gamification: Attractive, But Needs Purpose

Gamification emerged as a promising—yet complex—driver of engagement. While nearly 80% of students found gamified elements attractive, most viewed them as only moderately effective in fostering meaningful civic participation.

What truly motivates users? The answer is clear:

• Tangible rewards (e.g. discounts or financial incentives)
• Visible evidence of environmental impact
• Immediate feedback after completing actions

These insights suggest that gamification should go beyond points and badges. Instead, it should be carefully designed to connect digital actions with real-world outcomes and benefits.

Raising Awareness Through Data

One of the key goals of the ExPEDite platform is to enhance environmental awareness—and the workshops indicate strong potential in this area. Students responded positively to tools that allow them to monitor their impact regularly, particularly when data is presented in a clear and personalised way.

At the same time, aggregated data (e.g. at building level) was sometimes seen as too abstract to drive behavioural change. This highlights the need for more individualised, actionable insights, supported by digital solutions that make sustainability both visible and relevant at the personal level.

A Generation Ready for Sustainable Change

Beyond digital tools, the workshops also explored student attitudes towards sustainability. The findings are encouraging:

• A majority of students are willing to adopt more sustainable behaviours
• Waste reduction and sustainable mobility emerged as the most appealing entry points
• Interest in participating in Living Lab activities reached over 57%

Additionally, awareness of Positive Energy Districts increased significantly between the two sessions, underlining the value of continued communication and education efforts.

From Insights to Action

Based on the results, several key recommendations have been identified to strengthen the impact of ExPEDite’s digital solutions:

• Enhance the Mobile App with real-time data, improved visualisation, and seamless access
• Design gamification systems that combine real rewards with clear environmental impact feedback
• Maintain ongoing communication and engagement activities to build long-term interest
• Align challenges with user preferences, starting with waste management and mobility topics

Looking Ahead

The RTU workshops confirm that digital tools—when thoughtfully designed—can play a central role in engaging citizens in the energy transition. By combining data, gamification, and real-world impact, ExPEDite is well-positioned to create meaningful and lasting participation within its Living Labs.

As development continues, these insights will guide the refinement of the platform, ensuring that it not only informs users—but empowers them to act.

More insights from different stakeholders (such as city representatives, building owners and companies) will be be gathered during the workshop of May 15 during CONECT 2026 in Riga (register here)

Stay tuned as ExPEDite continues to shape the future of citizen-driven, digitally enabled sustainable cities.