Brussels, November 13-14, 2024 – At this year’s OpenLab Conference, themed “Creating Knowledge Through Participatory Research,” the PED4ALL team presented their most recent academic paper titled “Co-producing just energy transition pathways for Cureghem – Preliminary insights from the PED4ALL project on PED development in complex urban neighbourhoods”. Nearly 100 participants, from different countries across Europe, interested in participatory action research (PAR) and citizen science were brought together to share their most recent research insights, and to present their projects showcasing their contributions to bridging the gap between science and society. The two-day agenda with keynote speeches, workshops, presentations and dense discussions, provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange.
The PED4ALL team presented their research methodology including four sets of activities toward co-development of strategies for the implementation of Positive Energy Districts, and they highlighted their co-production methodology. By involving local communities and stakeholders, the team is developing strategies to ensure the energy transition is equitable and inclusive.
By involving local communities and stakeholders, the PED4ALL team is developing strategies to ensure the energy transition is equitable and inclusive.
Central to the discussion was Cureghem, a culturally diverse and socio-economically vulnerable neighborhood in Brussels and the project’s chosen case study, where socio-economic vulnerabilities intersect with urban renewal pressures and energy transition challenges. The team presented their explorations of the ongoing developments in the Abattoir site in Cureghem, which serve as a living lab for sustainability, researching ways to extend these innovations to the neighbourhood. Examples such as the Foodmet building, which integrates food production and renewable energy generation, and the retrofitting of heritage sites with solar panels were presented as models of innovation. Additionally, the discussion revolved around events such as Cultureghem’s Dream Kitchen, an initiative that brings the community together for cooking and shared meals, presenting the potential of these experiences to be used as opportunities to discuss daily energy practices and explore ideas for the green energy transition. The team emphasized the potential of these initiatives to inspire broader community-driven energy solutions, insisting on the need of continuing the research on scaling up and replicating PED strategies. The emphasis on the role of participatory research in ensuring that energy transition policies as just and socially inclusive occupied a central place in the discussion.
