Research Track: Living Labs for Gran Soci(et)al Challenges
TIME
15:45 – 17:15
Chaired by
Type of Session
Research Session
DESCRIPTION
Following the evaluation procedure the OLLD evaluation committee has accepted the research papers. All papers reflect on the theme of the conference “LIVING LABS FRONTIERS: Driving systemic change through Soci(et)al Engagement, for real impact” explores how Living Labs can drive meaningful societal systemic change through active engagement and collaboration.” and have been classified according to its sub-tracks. These are: TRACK 1: Living Labs for Grand Societal Challenges; TRACK 2: Living Labs for Policies, Governance, collaboration and innovation ecosystems; TRACK 3: LLs for Inclusive Soci(et)al Engagement; TRACK 4: Living Labs for Business and Emerging Technology; TRACK 5: Living Labs Operation, Methods, Tools, and Impact.
"Living Labs for Inclusive Soci(et)al Engagement" papers by the Evaluation Committee
- Living Lab approaches in the energy transition and decarbonization context: overcoming barriers and seizing opportunities in the construction sector
- Towards accelerating restorative transitions in urban, peri-urban and urban-rural environments - everybody onboard through the new generation of Living Labs
- Living labs for socio-technical innovation: co-designing practical solutions for sustainable water management and pollution reduction
- Global Social Challenges and Local Responses: International Cooperation in Higher Education through Living Labs
- Sidi Amor Water Living Lab: A Mediterranean Hub for Sustainable Water Innovation
- THETIDA – Living Labs for inclusive and innovative climate risk monitoring of cultural heritage
Living Lab approaches in the energy transition and decarbonization context: overcoming barriers and seizing opportunities in the construction sector
Violaine Coard, Jean-Philippe Bacher, Sebastian Duque, Sergi Aguacil Moreno
Violaine Coard
Research Program Coordinator and Project Manager, Smart Living Lab
Violaine Coard
Research Program Coordinator and Project Manager, Smart Living LabViolaine Coard is a research program coordinator and project manager specialized in stakeholder management, environment analysis, innovation, and value creation. With a deep understanding of both academic and market dynamics, she is dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge transfer in the sustainability sector, by leveraging Living Lab methods and tools. At the Smart Living Lab, she is currently developing a coaching program tailored to support Living Lab managers.
Abstract: In the context of the energy transition and industry decarbonization, the construction field has a big part to play. With over one third of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is urgent that this sector gets its current practices to evolve. Facing increasingly complex problems related to changing norms and regulations, material shortage, massive renovation needs, slow innovation integration and a very vast panel of stakeholders, the building sector needs methods and tools to manage and overcome these challenges. Living Lab approaches can be very effective at tackling such “wicked problems”, but are currently underused in this specific field. The aim of this research is to find the barriers that hinder the use of these techniques, and which are the opportunities to be seized. Based on literature and field research (both on the academic and partner sides), a tailored support tool will be developed to help researchers successfully run projects using Living Lab methods and tools. This project aims to foster the use of Living Lab approaches and help reach a greater sustainability and relevance of future projects in the build environment, all while guaranteeing a good life quality for the inhabitants.
Key words: Living Lab approaches, Construction sector, Multidisciplinary collaboration, Energy transition, Decarbonization
Living Lab approaches in the energy transition and decarbonization context: overcoming barriers and seizing opportunities in the construction sector
Violaine Coard, Jean-Philippe Bacher, Sebastian Duque, Sergi Aguacil Moreno
Violaine Coard
Research Program Coordinator and Project Manager, Smart Living Lab
Violaine Coard
Research Program Coordinator and Project Manager, Smart Living LabViolaine Coard is a research program coordinator and project manager specialized in stakeholder management, environment analysis, innovation, and value creation. With a deep understanding of both academic and market dynamics, she is dedicated to fostering collaboration and knowledge transfer in the sustainability sector, by leveraging Living Lab methods and tools. At the Smart Living Lab, she is currently developing a coaching program tailored to support Living Lab managers.
Abstract: In the context of the energy transition and industry decarbonization, the construction field has a big part to play. With over one third of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is urgent that this sector gets its current practices to evolve. Facing increasingly complex problems related to changing norms and regulations, material shortage, massive renovation needs, slow innovation integration and a very vast panel of stakeholders, the building sector needs methods and tools to manage and overcome these challenges. Living Lab approaches can be very effective at tackling such “wicked problems”, but are currently underused in this specific field. The aim of this research is to find the barriers that hinder the use of these techniques, and which are the opportunities to be seized. Based on literature and field research (both on the academic and partner sides), a tailored support tool will be developed to help researchers successfully run projects using Living Lab methods and tools. This project aims to foster the use of Living Lab approaches and help reach a greater sustainability and relevance of future projects in the build environment, all while guaranteeing a good life quality for the inhabitants.
Key words: Living Lab approaches, Construction sector, Multidisciplinary collaboration, Energy transition, Decarbonization
Towards accelerating restorative transitions in urban, peri-urban and urban-rural environments - everybody onboard through the new generation of Living Labs
Antonia Caro-Gonzalez, Jorge Iván Contreras, Artur Serra, Olatz Vallejo, Xabier Albalá
Toñi Caro
Evaluation Expert of the EC, Eoh-for-Good CEO, Associate Professor and Director of International Research Project Office at VIU
Toñi Caro
Evaluation Expert of the EC, Eoh-for-Good CEO, Associate Professor and Director of International Research Project Office at VIUWith over 25 years of international experience in fostering multi-actor, multi-sector and interdisciplinary collaborations, Toñi Caro is specialised in co-designing new generation of quadruple helix living labs and innovation ecosystems. As a pioneer in social innovation in Spain, Toñi excels in driving systemic change and translating R&I results into tangible development targets. She has a versatile profile that combines academic, entrepreneurship and expertise positions in different roles and capacities (e.g. evaluation expert for the European Commission (Horizon Europe, member of the Board of Directors of the European School of Social Innovation, member of the GaragErasmus Ethics, Disciplinary and Private Relations Committee, CEO of Eoh-for-good, founding Member of MAVERICKS Global, Associate Professor & Director of the International Research Project Office (VIU, ES). Toñi is also collaborator of the ENoLL’s Energy & Environment Working Group, focused on the transition toward a more sustainable society.
Abstract: This paper explores the concept of transformative governance as a means to foster individual and collective responsibility towards positive climate change. Anchored in the Anthropocene epoch, where human activities have a profound impact on the planet’s systems, the study emphasises the dual capacity of humanity to both degrade and regenerate our environment. The framework of the triple transition—social, green and digital—is proposed as a comprehensive approach to navigate this challenge. This multi-faceted transition is crucial for addressing the complexity of contemporary ecological and societal issues.
Central to this discourse are collaborative methodologies that include co-creation multi-level governance (e.g. the Eoh-for-Good’s multi-helix (multi-i) model). These methodologies facilitate the creation of living labs and next-generation ecosystems that drive social, digital innovation and systemic transformation. The paper underscores the importance of eco-systemic thinking, community-based actions and stakeholder engagement in fostering a people-centred approach to climate governance. Through in-depth interviews to key stakeholders in regional innovation ecosystems, the research deepens on effective strategies for aligned shared visions, decentralised governance and active citizen participation, including actors from the quadruple or n-helix.
The study demonstrates that leveraging the triple transition and collaborative methodologies within Eoh-labs is essential for achieving sustainable and regenerative impacts in purpose-driven and future-ready resilient urban environments.
Key words: Eoh-Labs, Eoh-Laber, Transformative Governance, 4 Helix Co-Creation, Systemic Urban Change, Common Good
Global Social Challenges and Local Responses: International Cooperation in Higher Education through Living Labs
Hae-Yung Song
Hae-Yung Song, PhD
Research Professor, IPAID - Yonsei University
Hae-Yung Song, PhD
Research Professor, IPAID - Yonsei UniversityHae-Yung Song studied sociology, international political economy and development studies in South Korea and the UK. She has worked for the Korean government and public institutions in the areas of international cooperation, diplomacy and human rights. She has taught at Birkbeck, Warwick and SOAS in the UK and at Korea University in South Korea. She has published articles in internationally acclaimed journals and a monograph, The State, Class and Developmentalism in South Korea (Routledge). She is currently a research professor at IPAID, Yonsei University and works on the contact points between critical pedagogy and active learning including living labs.
Abstract: In the face of great societal challenges, the Institute for Poverty Alleviation and International Development (IPAID), Yonsei University, South Korea started in 2022 a living lab-based cross-national/regional research project in the context of higher education. While this government-funded research project is ongoing, some emerging research outcomes have important implications in two respects. First, it shows how living labs can be an innovative pedagogic practice in higher education by allowing students to better understand and respond to global (social) issues and learn how other students in diverse local contexts approach social issues differently and at the same time similarly. Second, it offers various avenues for further international cooperation in education.
Key words: Living labs, Global Social Challenges, Pedagogy, International Education Cooperation, Civic-Minded Citizens
Sidi Amor Water Living Lab: A Mediterranean Hub for Sustainable Water Innovation
Jihene Malek
Dr. Jihene Malek
President of GDA Sidi Amor
Dr. Jihene Malek
President of GDA Sidi AmorDr. Jihene Malek, President of GDA Sidi Amor since December 2021, leads a pioneering Tunisian NGO focused on sustainable development. With 22 years of experience as a university lecturer in computer science, her research at Manouba University and Université Lille 1 emphasizes Technology-Enhanced Learning. She has authored over 16 scientific articles and has worked on projects in mobile, pervasive, and gamified learning, including the "Restore’it" Ecology game editor. At GDA Sidi Amor, Dr. Malek has played a key role in the formalization and management of the Sidi Amor Water Living Lab, contributing to its development and impact on water management and sustainability. Additionally, she is the General Secretary of the freelance network Prod’it and manages various development and research projects in sustainability, educational technology, and freelancing, supported by international organizations such as UNESCO, the World Bank, UE, ILO, PNUD, HSF, and WFP.
Abstract: The underuse of treated wastewater and limited awareness of water scarcity persist despite the resource’s scarcity, largely due to inadequate communication among water stakeholders. To address this, an integrative structure like the Sidi Amor Living Lab engages diverse stakeholders in collaborative innovation. Located in Tunisia’s Sidi Amor peri-urban region, it tackles social and environmental challenges through multi-stakeholder participation and co-creation. Employing action research and design thinking, the lab focuses on technology-enhanced water education and inclusive innovation, involving NEETs and farmers. Its innovation process spans exploration, experimentation, and evaluation phases. Results include improved wastewater management, sustainable agriculture, and ecosystem restoration, alongside community empowerment and policy influence. To enhance its impact, the Living Lab aims to obtain certification and join the ENoLL Network, thus amplifying its visibility and credibility.
Key words: Wastewater valorization, ecosystem restoration and climate change, sustainable Water Management, Living Lab
Living Labs for inclusive and innovative climate risk monitoring of cultural heritage
Deniz Ikiz Kaya (presenter), Paloma Guzman, Tina Katika, Cristina Veiga-Pires, Sonia Oliveira, Ionut Cristi Nicu, Panagiotis Michalis
Dr Deniz Ikiz Kaya
Assistant Professor, Department of the Built Environment, Eindhoven University of Technology
Dr Deniz Ikiz Kaya
Assistant Professor, Department of the Built Environment, Eindhoven University of TechnologyDr Deniz Ikiz Kaya is Assistant Professor on Heritage and Climate Change within the Department of the Built Environment at Eindhoven University of Technology, NL. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Architecture awarded by the Oxford Brookes University, UK. Her expertise lies in the cultural heritage field and its conjunction with the sustainable development, climate mitigation and adaptation agendas. Her research interests concentrate on exploring and assessing how the existing buildings, cities and landscapes are transformed and reshaped under the impacts of climate change, and how their protection, continued use and adaptation can be ensured in a sustainable, inclusive, and innovative way while capturing and managing their inherent values in response to the existing societal challenges. She has coordinated an Erasmus+ KA203 project (e-CREHA, 2020-2023), and has functioned as Work Package Leader in two EU-funded Horizon RIA projects (THETIDA Horizon Europe, 2023-2026; CLIC H2020, 2017-2021), conducting Living Labs and employing participatory methods to engage a wide range of stakeholders and communities in research and innovation actions
Abstract: The THETIDA Horizon Europe project addresses the pressing need to protect coastal and underwater cultural heritage from the threats of climate change. It aims to develop and validate an integrated risk assessment and protection system through participatory processes. This paper delves into the transformative potential of Living Labs that serve as multi-stakeholder platforms to engage stakeholders and citizens in data collection and decision-making processes while placing sociocultural values in the core of risk monitoring. The THETIDA Living Lab (LL) methodology is being implemented in seven pilot sites across diverse European climates, revealing challenges in stakeholder engagement and the testing of a crowdsourcing mobile application. The study emphasizes the importance of inclusive decision-making and adaptation strategies, facilitated by a toolkit of tested methods adaptable to local contexts. Through training workshops and stakeholder feedback derived during the LL dialogues, this research contributes to understanding climate impacts on heritage, and informs inclusive and sustainable multi-hazard and risk monitoring practices.
Key words: Climate change, risk monitoring, coastal heritage, underwater heritage, Living Lab, crowdsourcing