Ellen van Bueren

Ellen van Bueren
AMS Institute and TU Delft

Title: "Supporting inclusive urban energy transitions with living labs"

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Abstract
The energy transition, changing to a non-fossil society, is technologically and institutionally challenging. Choosing appropriate transition pathways depends on large number of factors, many of which are context dependent, having to do with the physical properties of the built environment and the available renewable energy sources. Citizens’ behaviour and willingness and capability to adapt and invest is becoming more prominently in focus. Living labs have become popular environments for experimentation and policy making on complex policy issues. In this presentation Ellen van Bueren introduces how living labs may be supportive of urban energy transition and discusses first experiences and challenges.

Bio
Ellen van Bueren is professor of Urban Development Management at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology. In her research and teaching she focuses on urban development and planning, and the governance and management of these processes. She addresses the challenges involved in preparing cities for the future, by making them more resilient and sustainable. New technologies (e.g. smart technologies, renewable energy technologies) and concepts (e.g. climate adaptation, circular economy, industrial symbiosis) lead to a reconfiguration of urban systems and actor networks, calling for institutional change and novel governance arrangements to provide adequate responses. The development of new modes of multi-level, cross-sectoral governance, planning and management are at the core of her chair, often developed in multi- and transdisciplinary learning environments, in which participatory, or action research is key.

Ellen van Bueren is Principal Investigator at the Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS), daily board member of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Sustainability, board member of the public private knowledge foundation on urban area development ‘Stichting Kennis Gebiedsontwikkeling’, and academic director of the EUR-TUD post-initial Master City Developer.