Smart persuasive school buildings: a state of the art

Integrating technology in buildings can lead to smart buildings that can affect behavioural patterns. The increasing possibilities of ubiquitous computing and sensor technology can be employed to motivate behaviour change, particularly when embedded in the environment. One (smart) environment that can be particularly influential on daily and long-term behaviour is a school. An environment that aims at changing behaviour without ‘forcing’ its inhabitants using smart technology, is what we call a ‘smart persuasive environment’. The potential these smart persuasive school buildings hold for influencing pupil behaviours, such as learning outcomes, social interaction and physical activity seems to be substantial. This article aims to give an overview of the state of the technology, the (effect on) behaviour of pupils and the theoretical mechanisms, using social cognitive theory, that could explain the relationship between smart persuasive school buildings and behaviour change.