BlockPenn is a distributed ledger network that connects IoT sensors to blockchain applications.
We use BlockPenn for energy and environmental performance measurement and evaluation in spaces across the Penn campus.
How does BlockPenn work?
Infrastructure: BlockPenn is a blockchain+IoT infrastructure designed to be easily expandable and scalable, allowing to add users and sensors at any time, and lay the groundwork for future experiments.
The network allows for individual-level monitoring of energy consumption and environmental performance for opt-in users.
Sensors: Low-cost single-board computers (Raspberry Pis) are used as BlockPenn endpoints, each connected to a local network of IoT sensors. In addition to energy monitoring, the current pilot includes air-quality sensors, artificial light usage monitoring, occupancy detection, and temperature and humidity sensors.
The PennCoin: Occupants of office-spaces, laboratories, or dormitory rooms across the campus will be able to participate in the network and accrue points through the “PennCoin” reward system based on their performance over time. In order to incentivize participants to improve their performance, the BlockPenn network uses smart contracts to issue “PennCoins”- a point system, which rewards participants for improvement in their energy and environmental performance over time.
Dashboard: the system includes a dashboard which monitors and visualizes the individual user’s performance based on the sensor data.
The BlockPenn team has been working on the development of the blockchain network and sensor infrastructure. Deployment on campus began in Spring 2021 and we continue improving our infrastructure and connecting more data points.
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People
The project is directed by the Thermal Architecture Lab and the Center for Environmental Building Design, at the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design in collaboration with blockchain expert Lior Glass.
Principal Investigators
Max Hakkarainen, Debadeepta Tagore, Adwayt Nadkarni, Nan Ma, Alex Waegel