Building on the expertise of 33 partners, the EU-funded oPEN Lab project will revitalise urban areas across Europe and lead the transition of Positive Energy Neighbourhoods (PEN). Through activities in three open innovation living labs in Genk (Belgium), Pamplona (Spain) and Tartu (Estonia), oPEN Lab will identify commercially viable solutions to achieve positive energy urban environments, in line with the EU’s aim to be climate-neutral by 2050. 

The project will promote sustainable design tailored to neighbourhoods, seamless industrial renovation workflows, renewable energy generation combined with energy storage, urban service facilities, smart operation and life cycle thinking. The ultimate aim is to roll out a holistic and positive energy vision for neighbourhoods across Europe.

The aim of the oPEN Lab is to identify replicable, commercially viable solution packages enabling the achievement of positive energy neighbourhoods within existing urban contexts that are seamlessly integrated into the local energy system as an active micro-energy hub, and to test these technologies and package as an integrated solution at neighbourhood scale.

Three open innovation living labs in the cities of Genk (BE), Pamplona (ES) and Tartu (EE) will test combinations of different close-to-market ready technologies and services and study their performance as a unique operating system. 

Focus is on demonstrating innovations in an integrated approach combining sustainable design tailored to the local context, seamless industrial renovation workflows, renewable energy generation combined with energy storage systems, urban service facilities and smart operation, life cycle thinking and circularity, and this across the whole value chain, targeting the whole life cycle of the building and its neighbourhood, in view of scaling up and wide replication. A user driven and participatory approach with the neighbourhoods community will be rolled out for a holistic and positive energy vision for the neighbourhood, going beyond citizen awareness raising activities.

oPEN Lab is a unique collaboration aligned with the Open Innovation quadruple helix model where (a) industry (SMEs, large companies, start-ups and scale-ups in both construction and energy value chains), (b) government (local public administration), (c) academia/RTOs and (d) civil participants (end users, NGOs) work together to co-create and drive structural changes that will result in high TRL levels, with great focus on exploitation of results and wide replication.

Partners

• VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK N.V.
• FLUX50
• STEINBEIS INNOVATION GGMBH
• ALONSO HERNANDEZ & ASOCIADOS ARQUITECTURA SOCIEDAD LIMITADA
• BAX INNOVATION CONSULTING SL
• BUILDINGS PERFORMANCE INSTITUTE EUROPE ASBL
• INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUM
• KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
• AYUNTAMIENTO DE PAMPLONA
• SYMPRAXIS TEAM P.C.
• TARTU LINN
• GREN TARTU AS
• Institute of Baltic Studies
• MITTETULUNDUSUHING TARTU REGIOONI ENERGIAAGENTUUR
• TALLINNA TEHNIKAÜLIKOOL
• FUNDACION CENER
• OBRAS ESPECIALES EDIFICACION E INFRAESTRUCTURAS SA
• STAD GENK
• STEBO
• UNIVERSIDAD DEL PAIS VASCO/ EUSKAL HERRIKO UNIBERTSITATEA
• EUROPEAN NETWORK OF LIVING LABS IVZW
• IFOK GMBH
• TARTU ULIKOOL
• NIEUW DAK
• DAIKIN EUROPE N.V.
• FUTECH
• Cast4All
• DCINERGY
• LITOBOX
• GROEP VAN ROEY
• EESTI ENERGIA AS
• HAUTE ECOLE SPECIALISEE DE SUISSE OCCIDENTALE
• HABENU-VAN DE KREEKEVASTGOEDSERVICE BV

Start date: 1 October 2021 - End date: 31 March 2026