Governance of Urban Sustainability Transitions: Advancing the Role of Living Labs

Duration: 10/14 – 9/17

Cities face the challenge of balancing social and economic priorities with the need for long-term economic sustainability. Governance of Urban Sustainability Transitions: Advancing the Role of Living Labs examines the potential role of ‘Urban Living Laboratories’ (ULL) in achieving low carbon, productive urban areas across Europe.

Bringing together partners from four different countries, the project will include a number of in-depth case studies on the application of ULL in Graz (Austria), Malmö (Sweden), Newcastle (UK) and Rotterdam (the Netherlands), as well as a series of ‘snapshots’ of examples from elsewhere in Europe. The aim of the research will be to develop a clearer picture of how ULL models can be scaled up and adapted by cities across Europe.

The findings will support urban decision makers, researchers and other stakeholders by expanding the current knowledge base on ULLs, providing guidance on how innovative approaches can be applied to improve urban sustainability in the region.

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Harriet Bulkeley (Principal Investigator, Professor in the Department of Geography)
Marija Breitfuss-Loidl (Researcher)
Lars Coenen (Professor in Innovation Studies)
Niki Frantzeskaki (Senior Researcher and Lecturer)
Lea Fuenfschilling (Post Doctoral Researcher)
Markus Grillitsch (Post Doctoral Researcher)
Christian Hartmann (Head of Research Group, Technology, Innovation and Policy)
Annica Kronsell (Professor)
Derk Loorbach (Professor and Director of DRIFT)
Lindsay Mai (Post Doctoral Research Associate)
Simon Marvin (Professor in the Department of Geography)
Kes McCormick (Associate Professor)
Oksana Mont (Professor)
Angelika Sauer (Researcher)
Helene Schiffbaenker (Researcher)
Frankvan Steenbergen (Senior Researcher and Adviser)
Yuliya Voytenko (Research Associate)
Daniel Wagner-Schuster (Researcher)

Development of 12-16 case studies of ULLs in Sweden, the UK, Austria and the Netherlands, as well as ‘snapshots’ from other countries in Europe.

Integration of research into a systematic framework to analyse processes and impacts of ULLs.

Dissemination of findings to policy makers, academics and other stakeholders.