Pilot Projects

1. Multilevel Governance
The project aims to describe and analyse the effectiveness of collaboration both between different sectors and across multiple levels of governance regarding decision-support and policy development for sustainable urban development. Knowledge and experience from different types of collaborative processes between decision-makers and administrators in the Gothenburg area will be collected and evaluated by both practitioners and researchers. Examples of such processes include the Göteborg Region Association of Local Authorities' work with deliberative processes for sustainable growth, the process surrounding the public transport program (K2020), the vision of Western Gotaland "The god life" (the regional strategy for sustainable development), and the City of Gothenburg's work with the social dimension of sustainability (S2020).

2. A City Structure Adapted to Climate Change: Scenarios for Future Frihamnen
The project focuses particularly on how different climate adaptation concepts - retreat, defense, attack - can be used in connection with urban development. It also examines potential economic, social and ecological consequences brought about by the various concepts. The project is limited to examining and evaluating the concepts of attack, defense and retreat in terms of gradual adaptation to future rises in sea level, as a result of climate change, in the Free Port area in Gothenburg, and possibly even northern Masthugget.

3. Urban empowerment: Cultures of participation and learning
The project investigates how participation and learning can be developed with a focus on the north-eastern districts of Gothenburg. The project is linked to the City of Gothenburgs' “Vision Angered" and the project S2020, as well as the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers' commitment to open a branch in Hammarkullen. The project's aim is to develop a culture of participation and learning relating directly to changes being planned in Hammarkullen. The project's specific focus is on residents' participation in this process.

4. Business-driven sustainable urban development
The project focuses on entrepreneurship as a driving force for sustainable development and aims to, with a wide-ranging dialogue, systematize the knowledge and experience within the area. What obstacles and opportunities are considered universal? What would a model for evaluating and implementing business ideas for sustainable city development look like?

5. Urban games
Common learning for sustainable development. This project focuses on the use of games and visualisation to understand the city as a complex system. The Centre of Visualization, City of Gothenburg and GRUL, which is GR's project on experience-based learning, are some of the participants in this project.

Additional projects

Urban Planet is a new interactive web based tool for visualizing knowledge and science, which was launched in May 2010, at the opening of the World Expo in Shanghai. The aim is to create an innovative, attractive learning environment, with interactive data, maps, and innovative solutions for more sustainable urban regions.