Climate-KIC kicks-off first activities in Sweden at Chalmers University of Technology

Climate-KIC is set to kick-off its activities in Sweden this week with a conference at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg.

Following the launch of Climate-KIC’s Denmark-based Nordic centre earlier this year by EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard, Chalmers University of Technology will introduce Climate-KIC to Sweden as part of the initiative’s expansion across Scandinavia.

On Thursday 12 June, the Lindholmen conference centre will host an audience of entrepreneurs, researchers and students (register here). Climate-KIC Chief Executive Officer Mary Ritter and director of Climate-KIC’s Nordic centre Susanne Pedersen will take part in the event, as will Gothenburg mayor Anneli Hulthén and Chalmers president Karin Markides.

Scaling up climate innovation

Climate-KIC’s expansion into Sweden comes as it is scaling up its presence across Europe this year. The organisation has recently unveiled a series of new climate innovation programmes worth over €100 million with corporate and academic partners across Europe. The programmes are aimed at dealing with the impact of global warming and stopping further climate change.

Swedish involvement

One of the new Climate-KIC programmes that Chalmers participates in is the Building Technologies Accelerator, of which a new living lab at the Chalmers Johanneberg campus is an important part. The multimillion programme brings together multidisciplinary ‘living lab’ teams across Europe to address the climate impact of new building technologies and accelerate the potential of low carbon products and services in the built environment.

Living labs are buildings to test technology prototypes in real-life environments, the people living or working in a living lab are part of the prototype testing. By conducting tests with actual building users and in real climate conditions, researchers can evaluate the performance of new products in a more realistic way.

Chalmers is also a partner in new Climate-KIC programmes on CO2 re-utilisation and sustainable city districts.