As a nation, we are all increasingly aware of the importance and the need to recycle. Despite this, recycling rates have slowed in recent years, with the the recycling rate of waste from households in England decreasing to 44% in 2020, short of the 50% target. We aim to address this problem, by focusing on Recycling, with the aim of increasing energy efficiency.

Our project involves the development of a software platform hosting both mobile and web applications. The innovative mobile application will encourage people to engage in recycling, and motivate them to adopt new and sustainable approaches to energy efficiency. The app will promote the importance of the concept of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, leading to a corresponding, positive impact on the environment in the form of increased energy efficiency.

The mobile app will be available to the public on the app stores, and will be free to download to users' existing mobile devices. It will intuitive, and easy to navigate, and suitable for all members of the community.

An advice section will include topics such as recycling collections, what to put into various recycling bins and boxes, recycling centres, materials suitable for recycling and what actually becomes of them once they are recycled.

A community section will provide links, advice and support on recycling within the local area, including the ability to swop/trade/ donate unwanted household goods and items.

An educational section will cover key topics to increase the public's knowledge of environmental related issues, such as energy efficiency, and the importance of achieving a Net Zero climate.

The web application will provide the ability to link into the local authority's existing website, with capabilities for data analysis, and provision of push notifications. A content management system will ensure that relevant stakeholders are able to update information and notices on a regular basis.

As with all our projects, we will adopt a User-Led Design process, and we anticipate that we will work closely with local authorities to ensure that the application is valid and relevant, with user testing and feedback at each stage of the development.

We are confident that our solution will raise awareness within communities about environmental issues, and will enable them to become greener and more sustainable. Our app, which will be relevant throughout the entire UK, will be instrumental in increasing the current levels of recycling, with a corresponding impact on energy efficiency.