Participation and Social Justice in Urban Decarbonization: The Living Lab in Graz as a Space for Fair and Inclusive Climate Transitions

How can urban climate policies become not only ecologically effective but also socially just? This was the guiding question of Dr. Andrea Jany’s presentation at the 28th Congress of the Austrian Sociological Association (ÖGS) under the theme “The Climate of Society” at the University of Graz on July 2, 2025.

Using the case of the EU-funded DeCO2 project and the establishment of a Living Lab in the Terrassenhaussiedlung Graz-St. Peter, the presentation explored how participatory formats can shape socially inclusive decarbonization in the urban housing sector. Residents are actively involved in co-designing and prioritizing renovation measures, culminating in a collaboratively developed roadmap: “THS Decarbonization 2040 – Co-Design”.

Beyond technical experimentation, the lab also introduces new governance practices, such as sociocratic decision-making structures. The experiences demonstrate so far that participation fosters a sense of ownership and social cohesion but also reveal structural challenges, legal constraints, knowledge asymmetries, and unequal access to resources.

Andrea Jany’s contribution illustrated how urban Living Labs can serve as real-world negotiation spaces in climate transformation, where tensions between innovation, equity, and heritage preservation are addressed directly. The insights gained offer valuable lessons for the design of climate strategies in diverse urban contexts, particularly in post-war housing developments.