ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 676

system (as typically employed by professionals engaged in POE) and when using a 4D based approach (the EnViz software).
3. Structuring the experience
Students were firstly introduced to fundamental POE concepts in a 30’ seminar. This was followed
by a quick 10-15’ demonstration of the EnViz software with a trial model (all students were familiar
with Excel). Then the rules of the game were explained. This was followed by the core gaming
activity. Finally, students were asked to complete a questionnaire providing feedback on the two
types of activities.
4. Identifying resources
It was decided that the game should require only a standard PC per student, either at a university
computer lab or with students using their own machines. The only additional resources required
were standard stationery.
5. Applying Gamification Elements
The game was point-based, devised around a hypothetical scenario, of a simplified real-life problem. Students were provided with sketches of floor plans of a real-world building (Figure 3). They
were also provided with POE data in two formats: in the first half of the game, they were given
Excel files with the source data. In the second half, they were provided with the EnViz software
with appropriate source files.

Figure 3: Visualisation of the building used in the game.
The scenario assumed that the given building was found to be problematic in a number of areas. A POE survey was commissioned, in all the areas that were supposed to fail in achieving
the standard temperature and/or relative humidity criteria for thermal comfort identified by the
Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

674

ZEMCH 2015 | International Conference | Bari - Lecce, Italy