Our present standard of living depends strongly on energy sources, with buildings being a primary focus when it comes to reducing energy consumption due to their large contribution, especially in tertiary buildings. The goal of the present study is to evaluate the performance of two different designs of hybrid systems, composed of natural gas engines and photovoltaic panels. This will be done through simulations in TRNSYS, considering a representative office building with various schedules of operation (8, 12, and 24 h), as well as different climates in Spain. The main contributions of this paper are the evaluations of primary energy-consumption, emissions, and economic analyses for each scenario. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is carried out to observe the influence of energy prices, as well as that of the costs of the micro-CHP engines and PV modules. The results show that the scenario with the conventional system and PV modules is the most profitable one currently. However, if electricity prices are increased in the future or natural gas prices are reduced, the scenario with micro-CHP engines and PV modules will become the most profitable option. Energy service engineers, regulators, and manufacturers are the most interested in these results.

This study explores the implementation of two serious Role‐Playing Game video games in engineering education, focusing on their novelty effects, impact on academic performance, and the role of prior gaming experience. Factors such as student perception of usefulness, game fun level, or motivation are considered. The games were integrated into an engineering course at the University of Cádiz (Spain) during the 2022/2023 academic year, with feedback collected from 288 students who played the first game and 252 who played the second. Results showed no significant novelty effects between new and repeating students. However, a comparison with feedback from students who had played earlier versions of the games indicated a decrease in perceived fun and overall ratings, suggesting a potential novelty effect due to prior exposure to these specific games. Despite this, motivation levels remained high, with most students reporting increased motivation and a reduction in the perceived complexity of the subject after playing. The games also positively impacted academic performance, as students who played them achieved higher scores. Additionally, general prior gaming experience did not significantly affect the games' impact, indicating their suitability for both experienced gamers and nongamers alike.