Smart shower sensors and visual nudges motivate hotel guests in Guadeloupe to take shorter showers, saving water and reducing energy use – good for the environment and awareness.
Our innovation aims to address excessive water and energy consumption in hotels caused by long showers, as well as the lack of awareness among tourists about their environmental impact.
By encouraging behaviour change through nudging (such as stickers, flyers, and feedback) and using smart shower sensors, the solution tackles both the direct consumption and the underlying lack of awareness about sustainable water use.
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The innovation combines smart technology with behavioural nudging to promote water conservation among hotel guests. In participating hotels in Guadeloupe, digital shower sensors are installed to measure shower duration and water usage. These sensors collect real-time data, which is uploaded to a central platform (Aquardio Hub) for analysis. Alongside the sensors, visual nudging materials—such as stickers, flyers, and feedback forms—are placed in bathrooms to raise awareness and subtly encourage guests to reduce their shower time. The experiment is conducted in phases: before and after introducing the nudges, to compare behaviour changes. Feedback is also gathered from hotel guests and managers through surveys and interviews, providing both quantitative and qualitative insights. This combination of data helps evaluate the effectiveness of the approach. The result is a measurable reduction in water and energy use, along with increased awareness about sustainable behaviour, benefiting both the environment and hotel operations.
The innovation was developed to promote sustainable water use in hotels by combining behavioural science with smart technology. The process began with the preparation phase, where researchers and project partners designed a nudging strategy tailored to hotel environments. This involved studying guest behaviour, identifying key decision moments (like showering), and developing engaging nudging materials such as flyers, stickers, and feedback tools to encourage shorter showers.
Simultaneously, digital shower sensors were selected and installed in hotel bathrooms. These sensors accurately track shower duration and water usage in real time. The data collected is automatically sent to a centralised platform called the Aquardio Hub, which enables researchers to monitor trends and assess the impact of the nudging interventions.
The project was rolled out in three phases: preparation, a pilot experiment, and a full-scale experiment. The pilot phase helped test and refine the tools and messaging. In the full experiment, hotels implemented the complete nudging kit, and data was collected in two periods — before and after the nudges were introduced. This allowed for a direct comparison of behavioural changes.
To complement the quantitative data, qualitative feedback was gathered through surveys and interviews with both hotel guests and staff. These insights provided a deeper understanding of how the nudges were perceived and how they influenced behaviour.
The combined approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of what works in promoting sustainable practices. The results have already shown reductions in water use, which not only helps conserve a vital resource but also reduces the energy required for water heating — contributing to a smaller carbon footprint.
In summary, the innovation works by subtly guiding guest behaviour using nudges, while collecting detailed usage data via sensors — a powerful combination of psychology and technology designed for real-world impact.
There are several limitations and conditions under which the innovation may be less effective or not work as intended:
Lack of guest engagement – If hotel guests ignore or do not notice the nudging materials (stickers, flyers, feedback forms), the behavioural prompts may have little to no effect.
Cultural differences – The effectiveness of nudging can vary across cultures. What works well in one country or demographic group may not resonate in another due to different attitudes toward sustainability or personal habits.
Technical issues with sensors – If the digital shower sensors malfunction, lose connectivity, or are installed improperly, accurate data collection and real-time monitoring can be compromised.
Short stays – In hotels where guests stay for only one or two nights, there may be limited time for nudging to influence behaviour meaningfully.
Lack of hotel staff involvement – If hotel staff are not engaged or supportive, implementation and maintenance of the system may suffer, reducing its effectiveness.
Privacy concerns – Some guests may feel uncomfortable with any form of monitoring, even if no personal data is collected, leading to resistance or negative feedback.
Over-saturation of messages – If guests feel overwhelmed by too many prompts, the nudging materials may be ignored or even become counterproductive.
These limitations highlight the importance of careful design, context-sensitive implementation, and continuous feedback and adaptation to ensure the innovation remains effective across different settings.
Smart shower sensors and visual nudges motivate hotel guests in Guadeloupe to take shorter showers, saving water and reducing energy use – good for the environment and awareness.
Our innovation aims to address excessive water and energy consumption in hotels caused by long showers, as well as the lack of awareness among tourists about their environmental impact.
By encouraging behaviour change through nudging (such as stickers, flyers, and feedback) and using smart shower sensors, the solution tackles both the direct consumption and the underlying lack of awareness about sustainable water use.
The main components of the system have been tested separately, and an initial integration exercise has been conducted.
The innovation combines smart technology with behavioural nudging to promote water conservation among hotel guests. In participating hotels in Guadeloupe, digital shower sensors are installed to measure shower duration and water usage. These sensors collect real-time data, which is uploaded to a central platform (Aquardio Hub) for analysis. Alongside the sensors, visual nudging materials—such as stickers, flyers, and feedback forms—are placed in bathrooms to raise awareness and subtly encourage guests to reduce their shower time. The experiment is conducted in phases: before and after introducing the nudges, to compare behaviour changes. Feedback is also gathered from hotel guests and managers through surveys and interviews, providing both quantitative and qualitative insights. This combination of data helps evaluate the effectiveness of the approach. The result is a measurable reduction in water and energy use, along with increased awareness about sustainable behaviour, benefiting both the environment and hotel operations.
The innovation was developed to promote sustainable water use in hotels by combining behavioural science with smart technology. The process began with the preparation phase, where researchers and project partners designed a nudging strategy tailored to hotel environments. This involved studying guest behaviour, identifying key decision moments (like showering), and developing engaging nudging materials such as flyers, stickers, and feedback tools to encourage shorter showers.
Simultaneously, digital shower sensors were selected and installed in hotel bathrooms. These sensors accurately track shower duration and water usage in real time. The data collected is automatically sent to a centralised platform called the Aquardio Hub, which enables researchers to monitor trends and assess the impact of the nudging interventions.
The project was rolled out in three phases: preparation, a pilot experiment, and a full-scale experiment. The pilot phase helped test and refine the tools and messaging. In the full experiment, hotels implemented the complete nudging kit, and data was collected in two periods — before and after the nudges were introduced. This allowed for a direct comparison of behavioural changes.
To complement the quantitative data, qualitative feedback was gathered through surveys and interviews with both hotel guests and staff. These insights provided a deeper understanding of how the nudges were perceived and how they influenced behaviour.
The combined approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of what works in promoting sustainable practices. The results have already shown reductions in water use, which not only helps conserve a vital resource but also reduces the energy required for water heating — contributing to a smaller carbon footprint.
In summary, the innovation works by subtly guiding guest behaviour using nudges, while collecting detailed usage data via sensors — a powerful combination of psychology and technology designed for real-world impact.
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