News
In this section we regularly publish information on ongoing event formats, on current and planned experiments and formats, on joint action, on relevant calls for proposals, announcements and project developments. Take a look and join in!
State of Berlin Funding for Real-World Laboratories
Planning and construction using reused building materials, recycling, and heat recovery from graywater—for the first time in existing buildings—as well as the delivery of goods and medical supplies via drones: these are the focus areas of the three real-world labs in Berlin, which will receive a total of approximately nine million euros in funding from the Senate Department for Economics, Energy, and Public Enterprises over the next three years. TU Berlin is involved in all three projects and is even serving as the consortium coordinator for one of them. Congratulations!
SAVE THE DATE – Real Lab Conference 2026
The network conference will once again provide a forum for practical exchange, reflection, and collegial discourse in 2026. It is organized by the Co-Site project at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences and will take place September 16–17, 2026, on the Leverkusen campus.
Schwammstadt, TU Berlin North Campus – Kick-Off!
The Charlottenburg Campus is a real-world laboratory for climate protection and climate adaptation. Thanks to EU funding, the existing buildings on the TU campus can now be developed according to the “sponge city” principle and become a venue for research and teaching in a real-world laboratory setting. At the Hydraulics Hall (Building W—Hydraulics and Water Management), solar energy will be utilized in the future; various structural modules will be installed for climate-effective and productive greening of the facade, and the facility will be managed using rainwater collected from the roof. We welcome expert collaboration!
Reallab Open House Program
Making Reallabs visible and accessible, showcasing successes, and advancing the concept of sustainability. To this end, the Network of Real-World Labs for Sustainability (NRN) and the Society for Transdisciplinary and Participatory Research (GTPF, Real-World Labs Working Group) have announced the first nationwide ***Real-World Lab Open House Days*** in 2025. Events, panel discussions, and workshops—both in person and online—will provide insights into current real-world lab research. Here is an overview of the program.