Cities account for 65% of global energy consumption and 70% of CO₂ emissions, positioning them at the heart of the climate change challenge. To combat this, transforming urban environments into sustainable, resilient, and energy self-sufficient spaces is crucial. One promising solution is Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), which aim to generate a net surplus of renewable energy annually while achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The ExPEDite project is dedicated to developing these innovative neighbourhoods.

On March 4, 2025, ExPEDite initiated a field trip to the Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies (CEET) at the VŠB-TUO in Ostrava, Czechia. This visit allowed partners to explore the living lab activities at CEET and begin shaping the ExPEDite Living Lab, which will be implemented in the pilot district of Kipsala, Riga, Latvia.

CEET is a research institute specializing in low-carbon, sustainable energy, and environmental technologies in line with circular economy principles. The centre fosters collaboration with public-sector partners, industry, universities, and research organizations, offering its state-of-the-art lab facilities and expert knowledge for research, development, and education.

A Living Lab is a collaborative space for co-creating and testing innovative solutions that aim to address societal challenges in real-world environments.

ExPEDite partners, including Laurea University of Applied Sciences (FI), The Lisbon Council (PT), Riga Digital Agency (LV), and Riga Technical University (LV), visited Ostrava to discuss the project’s future direction and CEET’s role in the implementation of the Living Lab. This innovation ecosystem will focus on developing and testing smart energy solutions. The meeting was opened by Stanislav Mišák, Lukáš Prokop, and Zdeněk Slanina, who outlined CEET’s contribution to ExPEDite.

After the opening remarks, the partners engaged in expert discussions covering the current status of the project, exchanged experiences, and defined strategies for developing PEDs. The morning session concluded with a tour of CEET’s research infrastructure, highlighting technologies critical to the implementation of sustainable urban neighbourhoods.

In the afternoon, the partners focused on specific steps for the ExPEDite Living Lab at CEET and Riga Technical University, exploring the integration of diverse technologies into urban infrastructure and the use of Digital Twins for optimizing energy flows.

The meeting provided concrete proposals for future implementations of the living lab activities and strengthened the partnership, with valuable suggestions that will further enrich the ExPEDite project.

“This assembly confirms that collaboration between science and industry is key to progress. I’m confident that today’s discussions will help create practical models that can inspire other European cities,” commented Stanislav Mišák, Director of CEET.

Lukáš Prokop, Director of the ENET Centre, added, “Today’s meeting is a significant milestone in the journey towards sustainable and energy self-sufficient cities. I’m proud that CEET is part of this European project, contributing both with our expertise and tangible technological solutions. Together, we are building the future of smart energy.”

Insights from ExPEDite Partners:

Valdis Ratniks (Riga Digital Agency) shared insights into the challenges of implementing digital twins for energy management in cities, noting the difficulty in linking data from disparate sources with different purposes. He emphasized the importance of creating centralized systems that unite all stakeholders, highlighting that the diverse interests of partners ultimately strengthen the PED.

Tiina Haapanen (Laurea University of Applied Sciences) outlined the Living Lab’s role in involving various stakeholders, from cities and energy planners to citizens, in the design and implementation of positive energy districts. She praised CEET’s technological facilities for fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration and effective research, noting that the intersection of different expertise was particularly valuable for advancing the project.

Next steps

The ExPEDite meeting highlighted the crucial role of multi-stakeholder collaboration in building the smart, sustainable cities of the future. Ongoing efforts will continue to unite public and private partners, positioning the ExPEDite project as a key driver of urban sustainability across Europe. Internal workshops are planned to introduce the Living Lab concept to project partners and kick off the co-creation of the ExPEDite Living Lab. Stay connected with ExPEDite on social media and subscribe to the newsletter for the latest updates on the progress of the ExPEDite Living Lab activities. More information will be shared soon.