The idea for this ICON project was sparked by an opportunity of project developer Van Roey that wanted to explore with VITO how a local infill project could become the catalyst to redevelop an entire neighbourhood as a Positive Energy District.

In practice, this idea quickly ran into diverse obstacles and uncertainties from different disciplines and involved stakeholders. Those are related with technical, juridical and financial conditions but also with social aspects and the behaviour of neighbourhood inhabitants.

Endeavour, KUL (BEE) and Stebo research the sociological and behavioural uncertainty of energy investments: how can we understand and even predict the motivation and participation of residents towards Positive Energy Districts?

It is the project’s general purpose to bring new data and innovative data-analysis and modelling techniques to the field of PED development, as such generating new knowledge related to the numerous risks linked to PED projects to support the decision-making process of the involved market players.

Endeavour wants to offer insight into the barriers and motivations of neighbourhood inhabitants to join a PED by developing recognizable personae and visualizing their ‘customer journey’.