The Energy Living Lab @HES-SO team had the privilege of participating in the well-attended General Assembly of the Association Energiestadt. With over 100 participants, the event showcased the collective enthusiasm for collaborative progress. Hosted by the Energiestadt Gold city of Yverdon-les-Bains, renowned for its participatory approaches, the assembly highlighted the city’s dedication to inclusive governance.
Participatory processes require significant time, financial, and human resources and the Swiss applied research is deeply committed to advancing and testing collaborative methods for societal benefit.
Our interdisciplinary team from the Energy Living Lab at HES-SO in Sion was thrilled to present our concrete results from European and national projects and to lead a workshop on co-design methods for participatory planning.
During the event, our research associate, Anastasia Ponomareva, shared findings from the European 2ISECAP Project, which promotes the development of climate and energy plans, with Energiestadt Thun being an active participant. To support these projects, we have employed interactive tools such as the “Co-creation toolbox” and “E4Citizens” to facilitate collaboration among the city’s various stakeholders.
It was inspiring to see cities, like Winterthur (WinLab) and Lugano (L*3), also embracing the Living Lab concept. These cities are perfect candidates for becoming Living Labs of the energy transition, fostering innovation and cooperation in sustainable urban development.
In summary, our experience at the Energiestadt General Assembly reinforced the power of participatory approaches in the energy transition.
