Negawatt Utility Limited x Hong Kong Housing Society –
An Innovative Solution Driving ESG and Behavioural Change – Zero 2 Mobile App

[Negawatt Utility Limited x Hong Kong Housing Society was awarded “Collaborative Project of the Year (Behavioural Change) – Merit” in the Hong Kong Green Shop Alliance Award 2023]

Negawatt Utility Limited (“Negawatt”) is an AIoT enabled ESG technology company focusing on smart city. Its mobile app, Zero2, is an ESG solution that gamifies the tracking of carbon emissions to help users reach the goal of carbon reduction and healthy life style.

In partnership with the Hong Kong Housing Society, Negawatt promoted its Zero2 mobile app to households in 150 buildings as part of the “Community ESG Programme”. This unprecedented socially-inclusive ESG initiative is the largest community engagement programme in Hong Kong till now. Users are encouraged to complete the in-app mission and adopt offline behavioural changes such as recycling, eco-friendly dining (plastic-free), and uploading their utility bills to prove their carbon reductions. The missions also include personal health-related exercises such as a walking challenge and ESG games. All of these activities are digitized to generate positive energy and reduce users’ carbon impact.

Upon completing these eco-friendly missions offline, users are rewarded with points and digital shopping coupons, which they can redeem at shopping malls and retail stores in person. This incentivizes foot traffic and boosts business for these establishments. Additionally, Zero2 provides ESG reports to participating merchants, allowing them to align their practices with sustainability goals.

To date, the programme has engaged 35,000 households and 1,000 staff. In just six months, over 600 merchants joined, offering HK$200 million in rewards, and facilitating 26,000 instances of discount redemptions and carbon trading. Zero2’s impact spans 13,000 households’ digital transformations, and over 30,000 engaged pledges and “Planet Heroes” in the Zero 2 app. This has resulted in 30 tonnes of recyclables collected, and 900,000 kgs of CO2 saved—equivalent to planting around 37,000 trees, an area about the size of seven Victoria Parks in Hong Kong. As such, it can be considered a triple win—for people, planet, and profit!

The innovative aspect of Zero2’s business model lies in its integration of online and offline operations, which not only promotes sustainable behaviours but also drives economic activity in physical retail spaces, contributing to a more environmentally and economically responsible future.