Sharing is caring – Share Hub for residents

HSB Living Lab in Gothenburg, Sweden, is a unique housing research facility. Here, residents have access to a Share Hub - a sharing station with free access to items that don’t necessarily need to be owned individually but can be shared with neighbors. The Share Hub includes everything from tools, kitchen utensils and exercise equipment to board games, all of which can be easily borrowed from a designated cabinet accessible to all residents. Through the Share Hub, HSB tenants can share items without having to purchase or own them individually.

However, there was an issue — awareness and usage of the Share Hub were low among residents. Many were also uncertain about how it worked, which meant they missed out on the environmental and financial benefits of shared ownership.

To encourage residents to share items with each other and facilitate effective resource sharing, HSB Living Lab and Nudgd launched a collaboration in April 2022. Their shared goal was to nudge residents into using the shared resources more frequently, thereby increasing the environmental benefits of the sharing station.

Nudgd conducted a behavioral analysis to understand why the Share Hub wasn’t being used and then designed a decision environment that nudged tenants to both remember its existence and take advantage of it.

• Increased Visibility: The sharing station became more noticeable, with colorful and informative signs placed on the ceiling and around the Share Hub cabinets, guiding residents to the right location.
• Curiosity: The signs conveyed the benefits of sharing in a fun and engaging way.
• Engagement and Community: Residents were involved in selecting the items available in the cabinets, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility. A “party log” was introduced for the shared set of a Kubb game (Viking Chess), allowing residents to document their experiences and inspire others to borrow items.

The initiative was successful, leading to an increase in the use of the shared items. The most popular borrowed item was the Kubb set, while kitchen appliances like blenders were used less frequently. This provided both HSB and Nudgd with valuable insights into the types of items residents preferred to borrow.

The results demonstrate that small nudges can have a significant impact on effective resource sharing. Sharing is caring!

Would you like to explore ways to increase resource sharing in your property? Book a free consultation with us!