To move from knowledge to action, close collaboration is required between the scientific community and the various societal stakeholders from business, associations, politics, public administration and civil society. To this end, Climate Change Graz relies on workshops, focus groups, living labs and other participatory and transdisciplinary formats in which robust and application-oriented solutions are developed collaboratively. The role of Transacademic Interface Manager was created in 2021 to facilitate the implementation of transdisciplinary research.
Furthermore, projects involving societal stakeholders are also a central focus at the RCE Graz-Styria – Centre for Sustainable Societal Transformation and the Wegener Centre for Climate and Global Change.
Living Labs are a tried-and-tested transdisciplinary format for dialogue and collaboration between science and society. In real-life settings, scientifically and socially robust solutions for climate protection, climate adaptation and societal transformation are co-created, tested and iteratively refined together with the participating stakeholders – with the aim of turning knowledge into action. As a research infrastructure, Living Labs are used equally in research, teaching and the ‘third mission’.
A sustainable transformation of the housing sector is crucial to achieving climate targets. Cohousing, or community-oriented housing initiatives, has gained recognition in Europe and could play a key role in decarbonising the sector. However, its outcomes have not yet been adequately taken into account in housing policies, funding systems and decision-making processes. The GO4CO project aims to support Austrian decision-makers by providing scientific background knowledge for the implementation of cohousing strategies that promote a climate-friendly housing sector. As part of the project, case studies in three Austrian federal states will be analysed, governance practices examined, and a policy roadmap developed to promote cohousing as a sustainable alternative and to have a positive impact on the wider housing system.
Funded by the Austrian Climate Research Programme (ACRP).
Project lead: Andrea Jany
The DeCO2 project aims to promote a more climate-friendly building sector, which is currently responsible for 40 per cent of energy consumption and 36 per cent of CO₂ emissions in Europe. Current practices consume enormous quantities of raw materials and generate significant amounts of waste. Increasing material extraction and a lack of a global circular economy are further exacerbating these problems. DeCO2 aims to bridge this gap by promoting innovative technologies for building components, materials and products. The project seeks to establish strong partnerships across the entire value chain: it is aimed at developers, policy-makers and the construction industry. DeCO2 is aligned with the EU’s sustainability goals and places a focus on health, well-being and inclusion.
Funded by Horizon Europe (Project No. 101147781).
Team (University of Graz): Andrea Jany (Wegener Centre), Maria Bertel, Miriam Hofer, Negar Ghezel Sefloo (Institute for Public Law and Political Science)
The overarching aim of HeriSol is the innovative integration of clean energy technologies into Europe’s architectural heritage. In this process, listed buildings become active components of energy systems. Specifically, the project focuses on the development of component-integrated coloured photovoltaic elements, micro-heat pumps and energy communities. In addition to the terraced housing estate in Graz, these measures are being developed and tested in three further demonstration sites in Spain, Latvia and Ireland. The Wegener Centre is leading the implementation of these measures across the four European demonstration sites. Methodologically, this is being carried out in a transdisciplinary and thus participatory manner through the establishment of individual living labs. The project runs from December 2024 to November 2027.
Funded by: CET – Clean Energy Transition
Team (Wegener Centre): Andrea Jany, Holger Hoff, Johanna Pfeifer, Sophia Lehner
The FEAST project is funded by the EU’s HORIZON-CL6-2021-FARM2FORK-01-15 programme. It aims to free European food systems from a ‘lose-lose-lose-win’ situation, in which only large food corporations ‘win’, whilst the environment, public health and the public sector face enormous pressures. With this in mind, FEAST seeks to help the best current solutions achieve a breakthrough and to co-design new approaches together with food system stakeholders across Europe. In doing so, FEAST involves various vulnerable groups and examines how they can be supported and empowered to ensure a just transition towards healthier and more sustainable food practices; and how they can benefit most from this transition. In doing so, FEAST takes into account the micro, meso and macro levels of food systems, from producers through the retail sector to consumers.
Funding: EU – Horizon Europe, Innovate UK, Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI)
Contact persons: Mag. Dr Andreas Exner, Livia Cepoiu
The Forest EcoValue project supports the EUSALP macro-regional strategy for the Alpine region and aims to collaborate with its action groups in key areas of sustainable forest management and ecosystem services. Furthermore, it supports the objectives of the Alpine Convention, particularly in the areas of mountain forest management, climate adaptation and the protection of biodiversity.
Funding: Interreg Alpine Space Programme 2021–2027
Contact persons: Victoria Yavorskaya, MSc.