BBBlockchain Token Incentivization for Citizen Participation
Sector: Tertiary sector · Industry: Coworking and shared services · Organisation: degewo, Gewobag, TU Berlin · Maturity level: Pilot
Berlin housing associations degewo and Gewobag, together with TU Berlin, tested a blockchain-based system to increase citizen participation in urban construction projects. Participants received tokens as rewards for their feedback and votes through an app and could redeem them for free coffee. However, only 6% of the 81 participants actually redeemed their tokens, showing that tokens did not serve as a primary incentive mechanism.
Documentation status
- Project status: Pilot
- Evidence: Evidence high
- Editorial review: Ufuk Avci, 15 April 2026
Description
BBBlockchain is a blockchain-based online participation platform developed by the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF) in Berlin with involvement from TU Berlin (Prof. Florian Tschorsch, Prof. Jochen Rabe). The platform uses the Ethereum blockchain and operates its own public blockchain fork on three servers (TU Berlin + degewo + Gewobag). Smart contracts (if-then rules) enable direct resident participation without intermediary authorities. All participation data is stored immutably.
BBBlockchain is an interdisciplinary research project of the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF) — a consortium of six Berlin universities. The project is supported by all six municipal housing associations in Berlin. It was tested in two real construction projects: (1) degewo Kietzer Feld — platform live since late 2019, (2) Gewobag Bülow90 — online since February 2020. Technically, the platform is based on the Ethereum blockchain with its own public blockchain fork; three servers (TU Berlin, degewo, Gewobag) operate the network. The app is available in the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and via web browser. Smart contract code is open source on GitHub. In phase 1, construction progress information and news were initially published to create transparency. In phase 2 (2022), further participation formats were tested. ECDF Professor Florian Tschorsch: "Through the BBBlockchain app, we were able to reach a new target group — this is not necessarily related to the blockchain technology itself, but to the additional digital communication channel."
Perspectives
B2B — organisations perspective
Housing associations can document planning processes on a shared, tamper-proof platform — without a central authority controlling the data. This strengthens tenants' and neighbourhoods' trust in the transparency of construction projects.
B2C — consumers perspective
Residents and tenants can track construction progress in real time via the BBBlockchain app, access information and — through smart contracts — directly participate in certain decisions. The immutable storage gives them assurance that commitments cannot be altered afterwards.
Employees perspective
Urban planners and community managers receive digital tools for more efficient design of participation processes. Automated documentation through blockchain technology reduces manual effort in recording citizens' opinions.
Benefits
General
- Transparent and comprehensible documentation of all citizen participation processes through blockchain technology.
- Digital participation opportunities enable more flexible citizen involvement in terms of time and location.
- Reduced administrative effort through automated recording and evaluation of citizen feedback.
B2B — organisations
- Cost reduction in citizen participation processes through digital automation and reduced rework in planning phases.
B2C — consumers
- Convenient digital participation options in urban development processes via mobile app use.
Employees
- More efficient workflows through digital tools and automated documentation of participation processes.
Challenges
General
- Low acceptance of token incentives, as only 6% of participants redeemed their rewards.
- Complex technical implementation requires specialised blockchain knowledge and corresponding development resources.
B2B — organisations
- High initial investments for blockchain infrastructure and development of specialised apps for citizen participation.
Employees
- Need for extensive training for staff in handling new blockchain-based participation tools.
Technology foundation
The system initially used the Ethereum testnet Rinkeby and later migrated to a private blockchain network on servers of degewo, Gewobag and TU Berlin. Smart contracts were used for timestamping, voting logic and token management to enable transparent and comprehensible citizen participation processes.
Implementation examples
BBBlockchain pilot project Berlin
The housing associations wanted to increase the traditionally low citizen participation in urban construction projects through innovative digital incentive systems. The aim was to make better planning decisions through higher participation and to avoid costly changes later on.
Berlin housing associations tested token incentives for citizen participation in construction projects via a blockchain-based app.
The BBBlockchain project was carried out from 2019 to 2023 as a cooperation between degewo, Gewobag and TU Berlin and was supported by the Einstein Center Digital Future. In specific construction projects such as Kietzer Feld in Köpenick and Bülow90 in Schöneberg, citizens were able to vote and provide feedback via an app. The system initially used the Ethereum Testnet Rinkeby and later migrated to a private blockchain network on its own servers for better data protection.
The project addressed the low participation rate in conventional citizen participation procedures and the lack of transparency in decision-making processes in urban development. The blockchain solution was intended to build trust and make democratic processes more comprehensible.
Tags
Citizen participation, Token incentives, Urban development, Transparency, Smart contracts