Sustainability and Living Labs
What is a ‘Living Lab’?
A Living Lab can be defined as “… where real-world sustainability challenges are formally addressed in stakeholder partnerships. A Living Lab encourages co-creation & co-implementation of transformations through transdisciplinary efforts, over a series of learning loops, to sustainably develop a geographically-bounded test-bed.”
The concept of Living labs is explicitly embedded within the University’s strategy ‘Our Future, Together’.
Why should students engage with a ‘Living Lab’?
The need for students to engage with the grand challenges facing society as well as enabling the university to move towards its ambition of being socially responsible. By enabling students to engage with living labs – we are seeking to engage them with grand challenges and as we work towards enabling living lab projects from beyond our campus our students and academics will also be able to respond to challenges from the third sector, industry and community groups, supporting our aim to be a socially responsible University. Living labs
- Recommend solutions to a real-life problem
- Can be framed around at least one of the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Create change in the researchers own lived environment(s).
- Use existing and newly generated quantitative and qualitative data, embracing digital technologies where possible.
How can I create a ‘Living Lab’ in my module/session/programme?
- Establish a Clear Vision
- Define the purpose: sustainability, digital transformation, civic engagement, or interdisciplinary learning.
- Align with institutional strategies (e.g., net-zero targets, SDG commitments, digital education goals).
- Example: University of Leeds Living Lab focuses on net-zero, biodiversity, and air quality.
- Identify Campus Assets and Opportunities
- Use the campus as a testbed: buildings, energy systems, green spaces, digital infrastructure.
- Audit available data (e.g., energy use, transport patterns, biodiversity).
- Example: University of Greenwich offers access to data on utility consumption and wildlife for student projects.
- Build Partnerships and Governance
- Form a steering group with academic staff, estates, IT, students, and external partners.
- Include community stakeholders for civic engagement.
- Example: University of Manchester integrates students into city-wide sustainability projects like the Oxford Road Corridor.
- Design the Living Lab Framework
- Choose a model: thematic labs (e.g., biodiversity, digital innovation), interdisciplinary hubs, or curriculum-integrated labs.
- Define roles, responsibilities, and funding sources.
- Example: University of Surrey runs a Sustainability Innovation Hub with community and industry partners.
- Launch Pilot Projects
- Start with small, visible initiatives:
- Sustainability: food waste audits, biodiversity mapping.
- Community Engagement: local transport studies, social impact surveys.
- Digital Innovation: circular economy tech, immersive learning spaces.
- Example: University of Liverpool created a circular economy lab using plastic waste for 3D printing.
- Integrate into Teaching and Learning
- Embed Living Lab projects into modules, dissertations, and co-curricular activities.
- Use real-time data and campus systems for experiential learning.
- Example: Heriot-Watt University supports degree-level sustainability projects across disciplines.
- Evaluate and Share Impact
- Track metrics: student engagement, sustainability outcomes, community impact.
- Publish findings and share case studies.
- Example: University of Edinburgh uses Living Labs to influence policy and infrastructure decisions.
- Scale and Institutionalize
- Expand successful projects across departments and campuses.
- Secure long-term funding and embed into strategic planning.
- Example: Queen’s University Belfast integrates Living Labs into its Education for Sustainable Development framework.
Living Lab Case Studies at Cardiff University
If you would like to contribute a living lab case study to the Toolkit, please contact barrittl@cardiff.ac.uk
Links:
Key elements of Living Labs Open University
Examples of past Living Labs Projects from Edinburgh