In line with efforts to develop a comprehensive decarbonization strategy and align with Ghana’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions, the Brew-Hammond Energy Centre (TBHEC) has hosted a webinar to examine the role of campus living labs in climate neutrality.

Themed “Can Campus Living Labs Pave the Way to Climate Neutrality? The TU Delft Case,” the event highlighted innovative sustainability and decarbonization approaches within university settings. It was organized in collaboration with the TU Delft Global Initiative, Climate Compatible Growth (CCG), and the Net-Zero Carbon Emission Lab (NCEL) at KNUST and forms part of a broader initiative to transform KNUST into a model green campus.

Campus living labs are increasingly recognised as a vital strategy for advancing climate action, with universities leveraging their dynamic environments to develop and test sustainable solutions. These labs transform campuses into real-world innovation hubs where students, faculty, and industry partners collaborate to address pressing environmental challenges. The webinar explored whether universities  could lead climate action by adopting carbon-neutral campuses and whether living labs can be a platform for scaling decarbonization efforts to benefit wider society. TU Delft has been at the forefront of this approach, integrating sustainability practices into all aspects of campus life to drive meaningful change.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Annika Herth, an expert in campus sustainability, offered valuable insights into TU Delft’s green campus initiative. She presented research findings on the challenges faced by living labs, their operational models, and how they can be harnessed to develop climate-neutral solutions both on campus and in the wider community.

According to her, by intentionally decarbonising campuses, universities can go beyond their traditional roles in research and training to become powerful agents of climate action by using their campuses as testbeds for transformative solutions.

The event  strengthened the collaboration between KNUST and TU Delft and inspired participants to reimagine universities as active players in the fight against climate change, using their campuses as testbeds for transformation.