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Chapter 9
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-6307-5.ch009
ABSTRACT
Urban living labs (ULL) are a new concept which involves users in innovation and development and
are regarded as a way of meeting the innovation challenges faced by information and communication
technology (ICT) service providers. The chapter focuses on the role of urban living labs in entrepreneur-
ship, energy and governance of smart cities, where it is performed the relationship between innovations,
governance, and renewable energy. The methodology proposed will focus on content analysis and on the
exploration of some European examples of implemented ULL, namely Amsterdam, Helsinki, Stockholm
and Copenhagen. The contributions of the present research should be the consolidation of knowledge
about the impact of ULL on innovation and development of smart cities regarding the concepts of renew-
able energy, smart governance and entrepreneurship.
INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, cities can be characterized as places of great transformation facing challenges at multiple levels.
As Johannes Hahn said (European Union, 2011, p. III): “Cities are places where both problems emerge,
and solutions are found. They are fertile ground for science and technology, for culture and innovation,
for individual and collective creativity, and for mitigating the impact of climate change. However, cit-
ies are also places where problems such as unemployment, segregation and poverty are concentrated.”
Throughout recent decades, the term smart cities has been generalized to define cities with a set of
characteristics that differentiate them from traditional cities. The concept of a smart city is not consen-
sual for all researchers and, depending on their research area, different characteristics are highlighted
The Role of Urban Living Labs
in Entrepreneurship, Energy,
and Governance of Smart Cities
Ana Pego
Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal
Maria do Rosário Matos Bernardo
Universidade Aberta, Portugal & Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal