Ideum developed a permanent exhibit for the new Chelan County Public Utility District Service Center in Wenatchee, WA. Through this exhibit multiple generations of the community can engage with their local utility in a fun, interactive way. The experience draws children and adults alike, through a light-hearted approach, to learn more about Chelan County PUD as well as energy and water conservation.
Using a large-scale touch wall with screens by TSI Touch, and a computer and AV system integrated by Ideum, the interactive enlightens adult visitors about various potential energy savings in their home or small business, with an emphasis on Chelan County PUD’s rebate programs. While adults learn and are directed to deeper-level resources, young visitors have an opportunity to interact with three activities on the lower part of the screen: a coloring game, a balancing game about how much energy different home appliances use, and a fast-paced game in which they correct the energy and water-wasting antics of a messy Sasquatch.
Ideum created a custom illustration of representative Chelan County homes, businesses, and landscapes on which to base the application. Much like the Sasquatch from the children’s game, this illustration was precisely designed to capture the character of Chelan County. The illustration even changes with the seasons, as the weather changes and as different energy-conservation tips become more relevant. Ideum also designed and illustrated a matching rug in the same style as the touch wall interactive, creating a stylized map on which the very youngest visitors can explore their region using toy vehicles.
Many of the items in the animated, interactive illustration are highlighted to indicate that visitors can touch them. When one of those items is tapped, pop-ups appear that include video, images, text, and links to learn more. To dig even deeper, visitors can email and text themselves from the application, or find print materials located nearby. In addition to programming the interactive software in Unity, Ideum also built a custom content management system using Directus. The system was designed so that Chelan County can easily update the pop-up information, change the season of the illustration and popups, and turn tappable items off and on.
The Chelan County PUD’s new Service Center in Wenatchee, Washington opened on October 7, 2023. Many families from the region took part in tours, games, and learning experiences during its grand opening. Ideum is proud to have a permanent exhibit in this engaging, community-focused center.
