ECO2-SCHOOLS as New European Bauhaus (NEB) Labs

ongoing

NEB-LAB project will capitalize on five eco-renovation educational buildings projects that are currently in progress. By building on the concept of Open Schooling the selected pilot sites will develop concrete and replicable climate action plans to be transformed to innovation hubs in their communities, raising citizen awareness activities to facilitate social innovation, promote education and training for sustainability, conducive to competences and positive behavior for a resource efficient and environmentally respectful energy use. The process will be guided and supported the NEB-LAB Chamber of Quality, an innovative partnership scheme that brings together unique expertise (including architects and landscape designers, technology and solutions providers, financial bodies and local stakeholders). The project will demonstrate that under such conditions the educational organizations (schools, universities, science centers) could act as drivers for the development of green neighbourhood “living labs” (Designing project-based, experiential learning led by schools with parents, local businesses, the wider community) based on pilot sites. The common feature in all pilot sites will be a by-product of the desire to create a building that inspires forward-looking, inquiry-based learning, and a sense of ownership among students and building stakeholders alike. The school, the university as well as the science center environment helps fuel the student body’s enthusiasm for learning, promoting engagement with peers, teachers, and even the building itself. In this framework NEB-LAB will provide a Roadmap to zero-energy and energy positive educational buildings and will help lead the way to a fundamental shift from buildings as consumers of energy to buildings as producers of energy.