Beginning of October, partners of the ProLight consortium gathered in Vaasa, Finland, for a three-day meeting filled with teamwork, learning, and forward-looking discussions. The event brought partners together to share project progress, exchange ideas, and explore new ways to engage society in the transition toward a sustainable future.
The consortium held its General Assembly, where partners reviewed the project’s progress, upcoming milestones, and next steps toward achieving our objectives. The discussions reflected the strong spirit of collaboration and shared commitment that drive ProLight forward.
Xiaoshu Lu and Milla Hannulla (University of Vaasa) who kindly hosted the European partners on their premises, also organised a visit to the Vaasa demo site – an energy-positive student housing complex managed by Teppo Rasku from VOAS. The student apartments have been recently completed as part of the VOAS‘s sustainable development initiatives. During the visit, the group also interacted with residents to gain valuable insights and feedback, further highlighting the social and behavioural dimensions of sustainable housing. The site demonstrates how energy efficient building design and digital value-added services for residents can help reduce carbon footprints while improving comfort and operational efficiency.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the opportunity to experience a serious game developed by GAIA in collaboration with the San fidel school energy community. One of the highlights of the meeting was the opportunity to experience a serious game developed by GAIA. Conceived for citizens, the game challenges participants to think critically about climate adaptation, collaboration, and problem-solving under pressure. As partners were eager to experience it firsthand, Itziar Vidorreta brought the portable escape-room all the way to Vaasa and guided the session.
Playing it together provided valuable insights into how interactive learning can inspire dialogue about climate-related topics.
The meeting concluded with the review session with the European Commission, where the consortium, led by Momir Tabakovic and Michael Heidenreich, presented key results and received valuable feedback to strengthen the next and final phase of the project.
Overall, the Vaasa meeting was an inspiring blend of reflection, creativity, and collective progress.
