Meet Limetools

We had a chat with Limetools, one of the partners in the European project FEEdBACk (Fostering Energy Efficiency and Behavioural Change through ICT), to learn more about its collaboration with INESC TEC. The main goal of the FEEdBACk project was the development of technologies that promote the consumers’ efficient use of energy and launch the ECOPlay app.

What is the connection of Limetools and INESC TEC? 

Limetools Ltd was a partner with INESC TEC in the energy efficiency FEEdBACk project, funded by the EU. 

What are the main results of this collaboration? 

To date, we have only been involved in one project with INESC TEC, which is the above FEEdBACk project. The FEEdBACk project focuses on understanding the extent of behaviour change among European energy users, through getting them to play and interact with online games and quizzes – which involve showing them facts about energy use and examples of good and bad energy use behaviour. We know, from the theoretical approach of social cognitive theory, that behaviour change can occur and be made permanent through getting people to watch how others behave, modelling good and bad behaviour for them, and showing them how they could improve. In the FEEdBACk project, we support citizens in changing their behaviour on energy use, namely concerning three main groups in Portugal, Barcelona (Spain) and Lippe (Germany). We may also interact with two groups of academics and students in Neuchatel (Switzerland) and Amsterdam. We will measure the players’ reported energy use habits and behaviour before and after we interact with them to determine if our approach to showing typical behaviour encourages them to change permanently to a more positive energy use profile. 

How has the experience been with INESC TEC? 

INESC TEC is a very professional research organisation, and working with them has allowed us to understand some of the behavioural drivers of energy use in the research community and among citizens in Portugal, and across Europe. We were able to add our expertise – in digital media-based interaction and behavioural response – to the engineering competences in application development and communications at INESC TEC. It was a win/win for both parties, and the other partners of the FEEdBACk project. 

What do you value in this collaboration? 

As we move towards a world where carbon-based energy supply is perceived as negative for the planet, it is obvious that anything done over the next decade to reduce non-renewable energy use is a positive solution for all of society. Society must evolve at unprecedented speed to reduce its impact on the planet, namely that stemming from using too much energy (at home, at work, or even on the road). The combination of INESC TEC an Limetools skills are uniquely applied to help move society to a better place, in terms of energy consumption. This will help individuals and their families save energy, leading to economic benefits among various levels of Government – considering the provision of services to citizens and to industry in the European context, and even around the world. We can help society if we all work together on problems about our energy use, and our carbon footprint. We hope that we can continue to work with INESC TEC going forward and meeting these goals. 

What can we expect in the next years from Limetools? 

Limetools aims to further develop the ECOPlay application developed within the FEEdBACk project; we used this tool to educate citizens about behaviours and decisions relating to energy use. Limetools will work with partners and with other energy supply chain intermediaries to take ECOPlay to the market, initially in the UK, and then in other EU partners’ countries (part of the FEEdBACk consortium or others).  

Evidence indicates that there are strong drivers – both in industry, the public sector and at the individual, citizen level – to modify energy usage behaviour. This is a result of social and economic pressures, relating to climate change and community wellbeing, and the fact that all sectors of society must help reduce energy use and carbon footprint (particularly non-renewable energy sources). In addition, there are legal and reporting obligations on the corporate and public sector world to show active reduction of energy use and carbon footprint. 

Hence, the FEEdBACk project has allowed Limetools – a UK-based SME – to launch a product/service that should meet the current levels of demand, and that will hopefully generate significant revenue as an on-demand or packaged solution.