DATE & TIME
1 October 2026, 11:00 – 12:15
TRACKS
TRACK 1: Living Labs for Grand Societal Challenges
TRACK 2: Living Labs for Policies, Governance, Collaboration and Innovation Ecosystems
TRACK 3: Living Labs for Inclusive Soci(et)al Engagement
TRACK 4: Living Labs for Business and Emerging Technology
TRACK 5: Living Labs Operation, Methods, Tools, and Impact
ROOM
Marble
TYPE OF SESSION
Topic Debate
Description
This session addresses the challenge of scaling and replicating water and ocean innovations developed in Living Labs across diverse contexts. It focuses on real-world experiences, including failures, understanding what works, and what does not.
By examining necessary adaptations and key enabling conditions such as stakeholder alignment, financing, and citizen uptake, the discussion aims to move from abstract ambitions to practical strategies for cross-region replication, while strengthening the Living Lab community’s ability to tackle pressing water and ocean challenges.
Agenda
| Timeslot | Item | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00 – 11:10 | Introduction: introducing the WG & the session context | Dr. Uchechi Obinna (CEW, WaterCampus Leeuwarden) |
| 11:10 – 11:20 | Panel introductions: Each panelist briefly introduces themselves and shares one example of a water innovation that faced challenges in scaling |
Jordi Moreno (Center of Expertise Water Technology) Andrea Rubinni (Director, WaterEurope) Guillermo Zaragoza (CMAT & Director of Sustainable Desalination Living Lab) Maike Gaertner (EAWAG, Blue X Coordinator) |
| 11:20 – 11:55 | Moderated panel discussion: Exploring barriers and enabling conditions for scaling water innovations across regions, including stakeholder alignment, financing, citizen uptake, and adaptation to different contexts | |
| 11:55 – 12:10 | Audience Q&A and discussion | |
| 12:10 – 12:30 | Conclusions and key takeaways: One actionable recommendation from each panelist and closing remarks | Dr. Uchechi Obinna (CEW, WaterCampus Leeuwarden) |
Speakers
Uchechi Obinna
Researcher, Center for Expertise Water Technology
Uchechi Obinna
Researcher, Center for Expertise Water TechnologyDr. Uchechi Obinna is a researcher at the Center of Expertise Water Technology (CEW) Leeuwarden Netherlands, a knowledge and innovation centre for applied research and product development in the field of water technology. CEW, together with Wetsus and Water Alliance are the managing partners of the Water Campus Innovation Ecosystem in Leeuwarden, where scientific, applied research and businesses in the area of water technology are combined. With a background in Environmental sciences and Environmental & Energy Management, he is involved in connecting water technologies to broader social and societal topics, International project development & management, & Water-oriented living labs development and facilitation.
Jordi Moreno
Project Manager and Researcher, Centre of Expertise Water Technology (CEW)
Jordi Moreno
Project Manager and Researcher, Centre of Expertise Water Technology (CEW)
Dr Jordi Moreno is a Project Manager and Researcher at the Centre of Expertise Water Technology (CEW) in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. As part of the WaterCampus Leeuwarden innovation ecosystem, he develops and coordinates applied research projects that bridge scientific knowledge with practical implementation across the water sector.
His work focuses on water quality, microbiological water safety, Legionella risk management and membrane bioreactor technologies, supporting the validation and deployment of innovative solutions in real-world settings.
Jordi collaborates closely with companies, utilities, knowledge institutions and public authorities to translate research into practical applications that address societal water challenges. He regularly contributes to national and international knowledge exchange on water quality and applied water technology.
Guillermo Zaragoza
Director, Plataforma Solar de Almería (CIEMAT), and Director, Sustainable Desalination Living Lab
Guillermo Zaragoza
Director, Plataforma Solar de Almería (CIEMAT), and Director, Sustainable Desalination Living Lab
Dr Guillermo Zaragoza holds a PhD in Physics and is director of Plataforma Solar de Almería, a centre of the Spanish research organisation CIEMAT, and director of the Sustainable Desalination Living Lab. He has previously held academic positions at the University of Oxford and the Spanish National Research Council.
He is a board director of the European Desalination Society, an ambassador of Water Europe and leader of its Expert Group on Desalination. He also co-leads the Desalination and Photosynthesis R&D unit of CIESOL, a joint centre of the University of Almería and CIEMAT, and represents Spain on the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency’s Technology Collaboration Programme on Heat Pumping Technologies.
His research focuses on the application of solar energy to desalination within the water, energy and food nexus, supported by extensive academic experience and participation in international research and innovation projects.
Maike Gaertner
Living Lab Coordinator, Eawag / BlueX
Maike Gaertner
Living Lab Coordinator, Eawag / BlueXMaike Gaertner is a living lab coordinator at the Department Urban Water Management at Eawag, a water research institute in Zürich. She holds degrees in science management and environmental engineering with a focus on urban water management. Her current role is the set-up of the Blue Nexus Lab (BlueX), an urban living lab for water and climate adaptation. The urban living lab BlueX is a collaboration of eight municipalities in Limmattal, a regional utility company, and scientists. Maike focuses on knowledge management and the network of stakeholders within and outside of BlueX. She is passionate about transdisciplinary collaboration and maintaining the quality of life in a changing climate.
Andrea Rubini
Director of Operations, Water Europe
Andrea Rubini
Director of Operations, Water EuropeAndrea Rubini holds a degree in Hydraulic Engineering and has over 30 years of experience addressing the impacts of climate change on urban areas, industrial ecosystems and river basins. Over the past 20 years, he has been actively involved in shaping European policy, particularly in Brussels, with a focus on EU Research and Innovation policies in the water sector and related fields. His work follows a quintuple helix approach, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, government and civil society, with the environment at its core. As Chief Operating Officer of Water Europe, Andrea coordinates the organisation’s Collaboration and Implementation Programmes and represents Water Europe in strategic European Commission-funded initiatives, including Water4All and Processes4Planet.