Driving Sustainable Neighbourhoods: PROBONO Living Labs Present Real -World Innovation in Action

The PROBONO project recently brought together stakeholders from across Europe in a public webinar highlighting innovative solutions supporting the transition toward sustainable, people-centred neighbourhoods. The session attracted 76 participants, including researchers, policymakers, industry professionals, and urban practitioners, reflecting strong interest in practical approaches to advancing Green Building Neighbourhoods (GBNs).

Bridging Technology and Society in the Built Environment

A key message emerging from the webinar was clear: achieving climate-neutral and energy-positive neighbourhoods requires more than technological innovation alone. It demands a holistic approach that integrates people, buildings, and digital solutions.

Three PROBONO Living Labs, Dublin, Aarhus, and Porto, showcased how this integration is being realised through a combination of technical tools and social innovation practices, tested and validated in real-life environments.

Living Lab Highlights: From Local Solutions to Scalable Impact

Dublin Living Lab: Integrating Energy Systems with Participatory Design

The Dublin Living Lab presented a comprehensive set of solutions combining renewable energy technologies and stakeholder-driven planning approaches.

On the technical side, the integration of building-applied and building-integrated photovoltaic systems (BAPV and BIPV) enables on-site renewable energy generation while contributing to architectural design and public awareness. These systems are complemented by advanced energy storage solutions, including battery banks and vehicle-to-grid (V2X) charging, allowing buildings to store, manage, and optimise energy use.

Equally important is Dublin’s focus on participatory innovation. Through geodesign and climate modelling approaches, stakeholders are actively involved in co-designing urban solutions, linking spatial planning decisions with climate performance. Co-creation workshops and a “teaching-as-research” model further support knowledge exchange, enabling collaboration between communities, local authorities, and academia.

Porto Living Lab: Combining Building Innovation with Community Engagement

The Porto Living Lab demonstrated how technical solutions can be effectively combined with community-driven initiatives.

A notable example is the implementation of cool roof technologies and bifacial photovoltaic panels, improving building performance and increasing renewable energy generation. These solutions are supported by ongoing monitoring to assess their real-world impact.

In parallel, Porto highlighted a community vegetable garden initiative, which serves as a platform for social interaction, sustainability education, and environmental action. Beyond its social value, the initiative contributes to measurable outcomes, including reduced emissions, water savings, and waste reuse.

Aarhus Living Lab: Advancing Systemic and Data-Driven Decision-Making

The Aarhus Living Lab focused on system-level innovation, demonstrating how advanced tools can support better decision-making in sustainable construction.

Key solutions include the use of flow battery technology for long-term energy storage and the NovaDM decision-support tool, which enables stakeholders to evaluate multiple building design scenarios based on environmental, economic, and social indicators.

Aarhus also introduced the concept of “Positive Pursuits,” emphasising the importance of generating not only environmental benefits but also social and economic value. Through participatory approaches such as co-creation workshops, the Living Lab promotes a broader understanding of sustainability that goes beyond carbon reduction.

Living Labs as Drivers of Real-World Transformation

The webinar reinforced the role of PROBONO Living Labs as innovation ecosystems, where solutions are not only developed but also tested, validated, and refined in real-world conditions.

By combining technical excellence with social innovation, these Living Labs demonstrate how sustainable neighbourhoods can be both high-performing and inclusive, addressing the needs of communities while contributing to Europe’s climate goals.

Towards Scalable Green Building Neighbourhoods

PROBONO continues to support the transition toward zero-emission and energy-positive neighbourhoods by delivering solutions that are scalable, replicable, and grounded in real-life application.

The insights shared during the webinar highlight the importance of:

·      Integrating renewable energy and smart energy systems

·      Engaging stakeholders through participatory and co-design approaches

·      Adopting holistic frameworks that combine environmental, social, and economic dimensions

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