WHAT:

Buildings, and the manner in which we design, construct and maintain them are a significant contributor to the climate breakdown that we are witnessing. Restorative and regenerative approaches can flip this phenomenon, enabling buildings, neighbourhoods and the broader built environment to become part of a broad climate regeneration solution. Aligned with the latest policies, REGEN’s holistic Assessment Framework for Urban Regeneration (AFUR) will lead to environmental sustainability, economic revitalization and social inclusion driven by revisited participative urban planning and management approaches.

REGEN is co-financed by the European Commission’s Built4People partnership. The project is led by Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and supported by 23 partners from across Europe. The Impact Lab is one of the core project partners.

Within the next four years, this 7.5M€ Innovation Action project co-funded by the European Commission will represent a paradigm shift in urban regeneration, merging technological innovation with community engagement to create sustainable and thriving urban environments. By fostering collaboration, harnessing digital tools, and prioritising the needs of end-users, REGEN is poised to drive lasting change across Europe.

HOW:
In four demonstration sites (Milan (IT), Dublin (IE), Beckerich (LUX) and Laredo (ES)), urban areas will be regenerated preserving heritage and integrating new infrastructures while transforming citizen habits and aspirations. AFUR will support city stakeholders towards robust and sustainable decarbonisation pathways, strengthening their resilience to climate change through the implementation of selected regeneration interventions. Co-designed with stakeholders, new participatory processes and digital tool solutions will revitalise and rejuvenate underutilised or underdeveloped areas, improving the quality of life for residents, and attracting new investment and economic activity.

The Impact Lab Method™ utilises principles of circular economy (especially with ‘diversity is strength’ and ‘systems thinking’) at the very core of its approach. REGEN will leverage the innovation labs to plan and execute truly open innovation processes, inviting a mix of diverse actors who would otherwise not come together. Specific stakeholder engagement methods (based on LISER and The Impact Lab Method™) will be designed to address the non-interested or blocking stakeholders. Community stakeholder feedback will be considered and incorporated into the solution. Capacity Building will pay special attention to stakeholder management approaches. The Impact Lab will also contribute to the social impact measurement approach as input to the overall AFUR.

WHO:

A multidisciplinary team formed by experts from both academia and industry:

The consortium is formed by 23 European partners and is coordinated by Sylvain Kubicki, from Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST). This includes four Research and Technology Organisations with a rich portfolio in research and innovation in the areas of environmental science, information and communication technology and material science (LIST), analysis of social changes (LISER), applied research and technological development on quality of life, energy transition and urban ecosystem (TECNALIA), sustainable development and innovation in the fields of construction, energy and environment (NBK). Additionally, the consortium includes four public organisations representing a municipality from the four REGEN demonstration sites of Beckerich, Laredo, Milan and Dublin (BECK, LAREDO, MIL, DDC and CODEMA) and two private organisations, focusing on mobility, environment and territory (AMAT) and with city and regional planning expertise (ISOC). Finally, the consortium is complemented by a metrology SMEs with strong knowhow in software and consulting services for sustainable building design and environmental performance analysis (IES), monitoring impact measurement frameworks (TIL), carrying out specific studies by collaboration with engineers and architects (S&A), creating of knowledge and its transfer to society in the specific field of migrations and in the general field of social research (BEGI), capacity management and people counting (DINYCON), research and innovation in the field of sustainable development and energy transition (R2M FR) and (R2M IT), integrating electricity supply with energy management services (ARDEN), real estate information management (DMO), architectural design firms (KAW) and (VAR), realizing innovative building systems (GTB). 

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