The first citizen event with the inhabitants of the Waterschei and Nieuw Texas – the two neighbourhoods where the oPEN Living Lab Genk will be implemented – took place on 28 November 2021. This event was the first step in the search for citizens motivated to become part of the renovation and innovation process transforming their neighbourhoods into Positive Energy Neighbourhoods of the future. The citizens were invited to EnergyVille to get an understanding of what the oPEN Lab project would potentially mean to them. They also had the chance to visit the EnergyVille laboratories and were explained how novel technologies like heat pumps and PV modules work.
27 citizens participated in this event and had the chance to ask questions, raise concerns, learn about co-creation, and have coffee and cake.
oPEN Living Lab Genk will engage with citizens through co-design and co-creation, collaborating with industrial partners, academia, and local authorities to realise the best possible solutions for the people in their neighbourhood.
