Net Zero Precinct Futures: place-based experimentation for sustainability transitions – Theodore von Kármán Lecture with Darren Sharp

Lecture by Darren Sharp, Monash Sustainable Development Institute (Melbourne, Australia); RWTH Kármán-Fellow

Abstract:

Urban experimentation is an emerging field that brings together academic, government, industry and community actors to trial new modes of sustainable development and transition governance approaches. Envisioning sustainable futures involves the co-creation of visions and pathways to orient actors involved in urban experimentation and guide the direction of transformative change.
In this lecture Dr Darren Sharp will present an overview of Net Zero Precincts, a four-year ARC Linkage project to develop and test a new interdisciplinary approach to help cities reach net zero by taking the precinct as an optimal scale for urban transitions. The research takes inspiration from the Net Zero Initiative through which Monash University has committed to achieving net zero emissions across its four Australian campuses by 2030. Net Zero Precincts brings together transition management with design anthropology to support the transition to net zero cities in a way that is responsive to the needs of people, politics and place.
Dr Sharp will discuss the interdisciplinary approach being developed through an overview of the envisioning process that took place via a workshop series with participants from the Monash Precinct community. Walking tours were used as a catalyst to co-create future visions that took the form of ‘Living Worlds’ using speculative prototyping. A portfolio of Living Lab experiments has been activated to provide an enabling environment for research teams and project partners to test and demonstrate net zero innovations in a place-based setting. The lecture will conclude by exploring how transition managers can leverage monitoring and evaluation to support reflexive learning, steer transformative outcomes and build capability for the governance of experimentation.

If you would like to attend, please write a short email to events@khk.rwth-aachen.de.