LIGHT - Looking for Integrated Solutions for Healthy PEDs
Project leader: David Geisler-Moroder
Project partner:
- Innsbrucker Immobiliengesellschaft IIG (LOI partner)
Project leader overall project: Justyna Martyniuk-Pęczek
Project partner overall project:
- Gdansk University of Technology
- Medical University of Gdańsk
- University of Gdansk
- Gdańsk Foundation for Social Innovation
- Municipality of Kartuzy
- Foton-OZE (LOI-Partner)
- Lund University
- Municipality of Lund (LOI-Partner)
- Idiap Research Institute
Funding agency: Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft mbH (FFG)
Funding program: Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) 2024
Total funding Austria: 199,867.00 Euro
Total funding overall project: 1,263,016.37 Euro
Project period: 01.01.2026 until 31.12.2028
Summary
LIGHT aims to support the comprehensive, energy-oriented transformation of urban neighbourhoods while enhancing health and well-being of citizens. It explores urban planning strategies with integrated solutions to enhance energy performance and human well-being, emphasizing socio-economic considerations. We focus on integrating energy systems with blue-green infrastructure (BGI) to mitigate urban heat island (UHI) effects, optimize daylighting, and reduce noise and ensure good air quality despite high urban density. Utilizing various tools and techniques (e.g. participatory scenario modelling, policy development tools), LIGHT aims to set a standard for healthy Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) for a high quality of life.
LIGHT establishes three Urban Living Labs (ULLs) in diverse contexts to test a range of approaches and get insights on replicability potentials. In Kartuzy (POL) with a need for energy-centred regeneration, integrated strategies focus on energy renovation with environmental sustainability, economic feasibility and BGI integration. In Lund (SWE) the focus is on densification combined with innovative energy generation, entailing carbon-neutral solutions. Within the framework of ULLs, we develop an innovative virtual ULL (vULL) for multi-criteria analyses of urban densification scenarios, emphasizing on impacts on health and well-being, relating to noise, air quality, daylight and solar radiation. The vULL mimics a neighbourhood in Innsbruck (AUT) for testing tools and parametric design in scenarios. All three ULLs are crucial for testing scenarios and identifying feasible energy transition pathways. This approach will support key actors to make informed decisions. Overall, we adopt a health and well-being perspective in achieving PEDs by integrating various objectives related to energy, spatial planning, environmental and social goals, and sustainable mobility. The objectives range from reducing energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to improving quality of life (access to day-/sunlight, air quality, no noise, access to green areas, mobility) to enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services through BGI development. In this approach, health is the critical element for integrated planning strategies, serving as a foundation for the strategic transformation framework. In the long run, this contributes to social sustainability while promoting low healthcare costs and high productivity of urban citizens.
With detailed analyses of synergies, trade-offs, key variables and metrics, we identify solutions that meet multiple objectives and provide effective strategies to achieve a comprehensive urban energy transition. Based on this, we develop a set of online guidelines, digital simulation tools and metrics for PED projects in Europe. Incorporating the insights into our strategic energy-centered urban transformation framework will enable to pave the way for replicability of solutions across diverse urban contexts. The information, digital tools, indicators and metrics, processes and insights gained through the project are disseminated among relevant key players and shared publicly to inspire European communities to embrace the PED transition. LIGHT also offers an opportunity to refine the PED framework focusing on inclusion, adaptability, and scalability. Overall, the project will demonstrate that European cities can lead the way as LIGHT will serve as a future model for an effective and inclusive transformation of cities.