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🇧🇪 Belgium /Energy & Infrastructure

Ghent University research gives Watersportbaan residents a voice in energy transition

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • Researchers from Ghent University have launched an exhibition and walking tour called 'Samen Stroomopwaarts' (Together Upstream) around the Watersportbaan social housing area.
  • The project, based on 2.5 years of social research, collects and shares residents' stories and experiences with energy advice and the energy transition.
  • Organizers aim to ensure residents' voices are heard in energy policy, highlighting that abstract advice often fails to resonate with those directly impacted.

An exhibition and walking tour titled 'Samen Stroomopwaarts' (Together Upstream) has opened around the Watersportbaan social housing district in Ghent, Belgium. The initiative stems from 2.5 years of social research by Ghent University, aiming to give residents a voice in the energy transition.

In an ambitious energy policy around the transition to renewable energy, those stories must play a role.

— OrganizersReferring to the importance of residents' experiences in energy policy.

Seven locations within the neighborhood now feature information boards with QR codes linking to audio and video stories from local residents. These narratives focus on their experiences with energy advice and the broader implications of shifting to renewable energy sources. Researchers emphasize that while much has been written about the energy transition, the advice and technical explanations are often too abstract for many to understand or relate to.

But much of the explanation and advice here is too abstract, and therefore not clear to everyone.

— Lena VerlooyExplaining why residents may not connect with current energy transition information.

"A social tenant cannot install solar panels, and not everyone can afford an electric car," stated Lena Verlooy, a researcher at Ghent University. She highlighted that residents often feel left out when plans are made to make buildings more energy-efficient. The transition impacts daily life, affecting how people live, move, and interact, with a greater emphasis needed on shared solutions and collective systems.

A social tenant cannot install solar panels, and not everyone can afford an electric car.

— Lena VerlooyHighlighting practical barriers faced by social housing residents regarding energy upgrades.

Organizers have invited policymakers, housing associations, and social and sustainability organizations to participate in guided walks. These walks aim to bridge the gap between residents' lived experiences and those who shape energy policy. The exhibition is open to the public, with guided tours available on Sundays, offering a platform for diverse perspectives to be heard and considered in the ongoing energy transition.

Because the energy transition determines the future of a neighborhood, it is important that every voice is heard.

— Lena VerlooyStressing the need for inclusive decision-making in energy policy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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