"The transition to a sustainable energy system demands not only technical innovation but also social engagement and collaborative governance. This paper presents a case study from Zoetermeer, a mid-sized city in the Netherlands, where the number of citizen-led energy initiatives grew from four to fourteen …

A key component of the energy transition in the Netherlands is the heat transition: heating homes and buildings using sustainable energy sources. The ambition in the Dutch climate agreement (Government of the Netherlands, 2019) is to make 1.5 million homes sustainable by 2030. To achieve this goal, per …

Energy poverty and liveability of neighbourhoods are major socio-economic challenges. They pose a complex task for policy officers working in urban neigbourhoods. There is a need for better understanding of the profession of policy makers and their relation to homeowners. In a development and innovation …

The question is, can the faculties provide data on their energy consumption to raise energy awareness with students and employees? Typically, campus cafeterias show us how it's done and set a good example by displaying the carbon dioxide emission score of the daily menu. The challenge typically lies …

Anthropogenic climate change demands innovative educational approaches that effectively bridge sustainability concepts with practical learning. Particularly this applies to the broad context of sustainable energy education. The CIRCLE project (Creative Impulses for Recycling, Crafting and Learning) conducted …

The energy transition requires engineers who can reason about complex renewable energy systems, diagnose faults, and work collaboratively in dynamic environments. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is widely recognized for supporting such competencies, yet many engineering courses lack authentic contexts that …

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technology and offers opportunities for developing innovative products and services. Traditionally, innovation process models are tools to support innovation. However, existing innovation process models are criticized for being generic, rigid, and resource-intensive, …

Background Positive Energy Districts, which incorporate energy planning at the district level, are a pioneering concept for sustainable, smart and climate-neutral urban development. This concept supports creating communities that generate more annual energy than they consume. To this end, integrative …

Urban living labs (ULLs) are experimental governance mechanisms accelerating sustainability transitions in the built environment, yet their governance implications and systemic impact are often under-examined. A comparative analysis of six ULLs is presented with a focus on positive energy districts (PEDs) …

Key takeaways from the project underscore the importance of fostering long-term collaborations between technical experts, communities, and institutional partners. By integrating technical innovation with human-centred design, the SUSTENANCE project has not only advanced renewable energy adoption but …