2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

‘Sustainability’ refers to a balance between resource consumption and environmental protection with aims of securing the future. As such, it encompasses multiple fields and concepts. One such concept is circular economy (CE), which is widely used in industry to aid sustainable decision-making from a practical standpoint. CE revolves around the process of ‘resource sharing’ among various industrial sectors. It simulates how industries can share their waste products with each other, hence creating a system with minimal waste products through complex industrial waste treatment processes. This a) helps increase profits by reducing the cost of raw materials; b) reduces overconsumption of resources obtained through practices detrimental to the environment; c) minimizes pollution; and d) helps secure a sustainable future for life on planet Earth. Overall, this is a win-win scenario for industry owners as well as for environmental sustainability, making a strong argument to include the learning of circular economy concepts in sustainability education.
Within the context of engineering education, circular economy concepts are taught via various instructional methods, ranging from class lectures to field trips and analyses. One of the challenges with traditional methods however, may include student learning motivation in classrooms. As such, an engaging class activity for certain course modules such as CE may include educational board games.
Video games were found to be an effective learning mode of instruction in STEM education [1], [2], offering an alternative to traditional lectures. Moreover, video games help with student motivation to learn as well, as argued by Molins [3] and Ebrahimzadeh et al [4]. Unlike passive instruction, games simulate real-world processes in simplified form, helping students grasp complex concepts through play. Additionally, they let students apply theory to practice in a risk-free, interactive environment, which helps with learning.
Educational video games have already been introduced in some engineering courses [5], [6], [7], [8] as part of class activities to cover certain topics in engineering courses. This current work-in-progress paper discusses the process of developing a video game to expose undergraduate engineering students to the impacts of sustainability and introduce students to basic concepts of CE. The game features a solo player role-playing as an engineer stuck on an island with their broken rocketship, trying to escape by rebuilding the ship. There are products and materials scattered on the island that the player can find and utilize, but certain waste products such as organic waste, fabric scraps, ash/sludge, etc. are generated alongside the processes required for rebuilding, requiring the player to make critical decisions surrounding scarcity of resources and waste management. The player must decide how to manage these waste products by either processing them (recycle, reuse, biodegrade, repurpose, refurbish), or eventually taking a substantial penalty (such as destruction of the ship amidst the escape). The game explores several other in-game mechanics such as resharing processed waste materials and repurposed products within different sections of the ship to impart basic concepts of CE to students. The aim of this project is to ensure that the game is fun to play and generates interest in CE for engineering students.