What VR experience are we building for LJMU?

In short, we are building an immersive interactive Virtual Reality 3D film. This will take a user on a journey to learn what Co2 is and why change is needed. For this change, LJMU and the Eco-Team’s work is highlighted, along with the great Liverpool waterfront.

At the end of the film, we allow the user to choose which steps they want to put into practice to reduce their own personal carbon creation; bike to work, get a cold shower once a week, turn down heating, etc. This interactive experience will showcase the size of carbon created by a user each year to highlight how large the gas footprint of carbon is… i.e. it is hard to reduce carbon if you don’t know how much damage it does.

From initial designs we are aiming to create 4 scenes;

1. A universe view of the Earth.
2. A god view mode highlighting areas of Liverpool and the rising water levels.
3. A street level view showing the rising sea levels highlighting how much of Liverpool will be underwater in 100 years.
4. The interactive scene showing how much carbon you can reduce by simple changes.

We are creating an accompanying short development blog.

We are excited to say we are building and recording our developments to showcase our process of creating a VR application from scratch using Unreal Engine, and Meta Quest 2. We hope this will highlight the steps needed to create an interactive immersive experience and peak interest to the next generation of VR developers.

Liverpool John Moores Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory

The LJMU Low Carbon Eco-Innovatary works with organisations to identify opportunities for low carbon development which will ultimately bring about economic and environmental benefits to both the business and the wider community.

What is Co2?

CO2 is a naturally occurring gas, and it is essential for life on Earth. It is the primary source of carbon for plants, which use it to produce energy through photosynthesis. Animals, including humans, also produce CO2 as a byproduct of respiration.

In the Earth’s atmosphere, CO2 acts as a greenhouse gas, trapping heat from the sun and helping to regulate the planet’s temperature. Without the warming effect of greenhouse gases, the Earth’s surface would be too cold for life as we know it.

However, human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, have increased the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, releases large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, and deforestation removes trees, which absorb CO2.

Efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and combat climate change include the use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, and the adoption of energy-efficient technologies. Planting trees and other vegetation can also help to remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

Overall, CO2 is a vital element in the Earth’s ecosystem, but it is important to balance its presence in the atmosphere to avoid negative impacts on the environment.