EcoCash
App to Encourage Recycling in Smart Cities
UX Designer – Decision diagrams, Information Architecture, surveys, user testing
UI Designer – high-fidelity wireframes, prototypes
01. Context
Cities are generating a growing volume of waste, and in the case of Barcelona, only 40% is recycled.
The City Council was looking for new digital solutions within its Smart City strategy to:
Improve recycling rates.
Reduce collection costs through smart containers.
Actively involve citizens in urban sustainability.
Opportunity: To create a digital product that encourages recycling through tangible rewards, aligning environmental impact with citizen habits.
02. Problem detected
Despite the environmental concern, most citizens do not recycle due to a lack of time, information, or incentives.
Traditional collection systems do not offer feedback or rewards to the user.
Lack of motivation → low adoption of sustainable practices.
We Identified These Opportunities
Thanks to the detection and capture of insights, we were able to better understand our users:
Problem
Nowadays, most people don’t invest their time in recycling or getting involved in fostering a more sustainable life to transform our cities with a more positive impact on the planet.
Goal
Our main objective is to generate value by offering a points-based reward to people who join this initiative. This will ensure that everyone can enjoy a shared and lasting prosperity.
Soluction
An app that turns your trash into money. This app uses a point system, which can be obtained through recycling and used to pay for certain products and services.
03. Goals and KPIs
Business / City Goals
To increase the recycling rate in pilot neighborhoods by +25% within 12 months.
To reduce operational collection costs by -15% by optimizing routes with smart container data.
To establish a citizen loyalty system based on the circular economy.
User Goals
To increase motivation to recycle with a system of points and rewards (ecopoints).
To make visible the personal impact of each user → gamification of recycling.
To achieve a monthly retention rate of +40% in the app.
04. Value proposition
EcoCash is a mobile application that transforms the act of recycling into a gratifying experience.
- The user geolocates the nearest containers and knows their status (full/empty, opening hours).
- Every recycling action generates Ecopoints, a virtual currency redeemable for public transport, eco-stores, and sustainable restaurants.
- Integrated educational content → learning about good recycling practices.
- Immediate feedback and an impact dashboard → transparency and motivation.
A model that benefits the citizen + environmental impact + urban efficiency.
05. Design process
Methodology: Design Thinking + Lean Startup
- Discovery: Interviews, surveys, and shadowing of citizens → we discovered that most people would recycle more if clear incentives existed.
- Definition: Empathy maps, personas, and journey map to map frustrations and opportunities.
- Development: Brainstorming, storyboard, high-fidelity wireframes, UI prototypes, and visual moodboard.
- Delivery: User testing, MVP refinement, and definition of the business model with Lean Canvas.
Discovery
We conducted surveys about recycling habits and discovered:
Opportunities for business
Rewards → citizen loyalty model + support for local commerce.
Geolocation→ route optimization and reduction
of operational costs.
Opening hours → reduction of incidents and complaints
to the city council.
Site map
Once the main screens were identified, we developed a sitemap to define the information architecture and establish the basic structure of the app’s MVP.
06. Results / Impact
Business / City
+30% increase in recycling in pilot neighborhoods.
-18% reduction in waste collection incidents.
Integration of system data with the Smart City strategy → optimized collection routes in real-time.
User Impact
+45% monthly active users thanks to the reward system.
9/10 users perceive the app as “useful and motivating”
(Pilot NPS).
The redeemed Ecopoints strengthened the network of local sustainable businesses.
Executive Summary
With EcoCash, we demonstrated how a strategic digital product can change citizen habits through incentives, gamification, and the circular economy.
The app generated positive environmental impact, cost reduction for the city, and memorable user experiences, solidifying the concept of Smart Cities as more sustainable and participatory environments.