First signs of life: The Inception of a Living Lab

A Living Lab is supposed to offer an environment where users and producers co-create innovations. So what happens when it is placed in a school class? Does chaos ensue? This paper presents the story of the opening phase of a Living Lab. Fundamentally, user-driven innovation is the aim of the Living Lab and successful co-design is an important element. The purpose of the innovation is to design new ways of reducing energy use by involving building users. School children are at the heart of this process. The challenges and processes of working with school children are discussed, and the difficulties faced in the co-design phase are explored. The maturity and skills of the children and social dynamics of the group affect the co-design process. A key consideration for the facilitators is the characteristics of the participants, and how to work with them most effectively