City Engage is part of the +CityXChange project funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme.
City Engage Activity is now recorded as part of the Citizen innovation Lab digital space The Citizen innovation Lab Webpage
Limerick’s Citizen Innovation Lab is a place for observation, co-creation and experimentation. It is a place where people can take part in activities to help shape a sustainable future for the city. A future where Limerick can become more sustainable, beautiful and inclusive. Through the Citizen Innovation Lab people can work together to explore local responses to the challenges we face. Challenges like climate change.
Limerick is to become a climate-neutral city by 2050. This means some things will change through a process called decarbonisation. There will be new technologies, new opportunities and changes in our day-to-day lives. The goal of the Citizen Innovation Lab is to help empower people in Limerick to take part, to co-create this future together.
The Citizen Innovation Lab includes a Citizens’ Observatory, an Engagement Hub, a digital platform and a programme of events. It is co-located with the School of Architecture at University of Limerick (SAUL) Fab Lab Limerick in UL’s City Campus. It operates as a collaboration between Limerick City and County Council and the University of Limerick.
City Engage seeks to increase citizens’ understanding of the project by raising awareness of positive energy concepts and over time empowering citizens to take positive energy actions in order to lower their carbon footprint.
City Engage also seeks to increase collaboration between its citizens and Limerick City and County Council in order to co -create innovative solutions to challenges within the city.
The outcome of engagement activities will enable communities to share their vision for the future of Limerick with local authority decision makers, and will assist project partners in progressing the +CityxChange project to transform Limerick into a low carbon city.
City Engage Week 5 - The Citizen Innovation Lab
Enabling Climate Action and the Clean Energy Transition
Monday 25th April to Saturday 30th April
As part of City Engage Week 5, members of the public were given a chance to explore the newly opened Citizen Innovation Lab.
Located at the UL City Campus on Sarsfield Street, the Citizen Innovation Lab has been developed collaboratively by Limerick City and County Council and the University of Limerick as part of the +CityxChange project.
Citizen's explored the Lab and tried out the digital tools for citizen engagement in Limerick’s the clean energy transition developed within the +CityxChange project.
Download the City Engage Week 5 Programme of Events
City Engage Week 4 - Sustainable Energy Future
Monday 31st January - Thursday 3rd February
City Engage Week 4 was all about Limerick's clean energy transition. Owners of property in the Georgian Neighbourhood, professionals working on heritage buildings, and anyone with an interest in forming an energy community in Limerick City were invited to take part in a week-long series of targeted events focusing on a sustainable energy future for Limerick.
To download the +City Engage Week 4 programme of events, click here.
A Sustainable Energy Community - River Turbine
Limerick’s own Gkinetic is a world renowned developer of hydrokinetic river turbines. As part of CityxChange, a river turbine is due to be deployed in the Shannon at Thomond Weir in 2022. Explore how the local community can come together to harness the huge potential of this renewable energy technology.
Sustainable Energy Future – Limerick’s Georgian Neighbourhood
What are the next steps in a clean energy transition for Limerick's Georgian Neighbourhood? This event is for property owners in the area and explored developments in energy retrofitting, management and generation in the historic core of the city, as well a new possible sources of funding for interventions.
Retrofit of Traditional Georgian Buildings in Limerick
Peter Cox, Managing Director of Carrig Conservation International, shares his experience on restoring and improving energy efficiency in heritage buildings. Gearoid Kerin, Executive Engineer, Limerick City and County Council, presents guidance on taking a tiered approach to Energy Retrofits, tailored to Limerick's Georgian Neighbourhood.
Planning Decarbonisation with Limerick’s Energy Model
Introduction to Limerick's 3D Energy Model, including holistic approach to using the tool as a planning aid and case studies from +CityxChange Positive Energy Champions on how the model has helped in understanding the energy use in their buildings.
City Engage Week 3 - Community Energy
26th - 30th April 2021
The theme for the week of events was Community Energy. Whether it be at an individual, business or community level, we can take steps towards a clean energy model.
In the preceding weeks the +cityxchange team recruited 24 Positive Energy Champions who had volunteered to take a journey with us over twenty weeks and explore how they can reduce their carbon footprint, making changes to how they consume energy.
City Engage Week 3 saw the Champions receive training and take part in workshops, which supported them on their energy journey.
The City Engage series is part of the +CityxChange (Positive City Exchange) project funded by the European Commission through Horizon 2020. The overall aim of the project seeks to create positive energy districts and influence citizen behaviour to meet the challenge of moving to a low carbon sustainable future.
To download the +City Engage Week 3 programme of events, click here.
Decarbonising Business-An Post Story
Dr. Stephen Kinsella, UL Kemmy Business School, talks to Mr. Finbarr Power, An Post Energy Officer, about An Post’s focus on decarbonising operations and the roll out of electric vehicles in Limerick.
Gkinetic Update on Shannon Turbine Project
Gkinetic share key updates and progress of their work to install turbines in the River Shannon and see clean, renewable energy generated in the very heart of the city!
SEAI, Supports for Retrofit, Renewables and Sustainable Energy Communities
Learn how SEAI support homeowners, businesses, communities and industry to reduce their energy costs and greenhouse emissions.
Empowered Communities in Limerick
This workshop brings together six successful Limerick City community leaders to examine how their experiences could translate in the formation of an Energy Community in Limerick.
Positive Energy Champion Training - Empowering Communities
The +CityxChange team has recruited 24 Positive Energy Champions who have volunteered to take a journey with us over twenty weeks and explore how they can reduce their carbon footprint.
Positive Energy Champion Training - Low Carbon Transport
This workshop focuses on the Low Carbon Transport Strand of our Positive Energy Champions Campaign. Exploring how our champions can make sustainable and positive environmental changes to their transport needs.
City Engage Week 2 - Local Renewable Energy
14th - 18th September 2020
Urban Innovation in collaboration with +CityXChange partners hosted a full programme of nine online webinars and workshops over the course of the week.
Attendees got the opportunity to explore the potential and the challenges of installing renewables and creating positive energy districts in Limerick’s Georgian Quarter.
Participants mapped solar potential in the Georgian Neighbourhood, learned about the proposed tidal turbine in the Shannon and had the chance to build their own home energy monitor.
Presenters from Ireland and Europe shared their experiences of energy generation and creating energy communities. 195 attended and participated in events throughout the week, taking the opportunity to learn about the project and share their vision for a low carbon future for Limerick.
To download the +City Engage Week 2 programme of events, click here.
Local Renewable Energy Workshop
Architect, Caelen Bristow talks about her experiences in retrofitting a heritage building for energy efficiency.
Storytelling Workshop
Storytelling with Helena Fitzgerald on local energy companies.
River Turbine Event
Aoife Gallagher, Innovation Manager with ESB on how communities have the potential to generate significant power from waterways by using hydrokinetic power.
Proposed Tidal Turbine
Roisin McCormack, GKinetic gives a detailed presentation about the proposed tidal turbine for the Shannon as part of the Cityxchange project.
Bold City Vision
Senior Plannner Kieran Reeves outlines plan for a Bold City Vision for Limerick City and County Council.
Georgian Neighbourhood 3D Model
Community auditing of buildings and local renewables in the Georgian Neighbourhood.
City Engage Week 1 - Limerick Laneways
16th to 22nd Sept 2019
As part of the +CityxChange EU project a series of Community Participation events took place around specific topics on collective thinking and action.
+CityxChange (Positive City Exchange) wants to create a community of individuals, groups, businesses and agencies who are looking at ways to develop smarter cities that are open and accessible for all. We are all about the positives. Working together to solve problems or to create a new vision. The overarching aim is to develop a series of demonstration projects on how to become a smart positive energy city for all together, through citizen engagement.
To download the +City Engage Week 1 programme of events, click here.