Beyond The Classroom – Exploring the Potential of Living Labs in Civil Engineering at The University of Wuppertal

Civil engineers are co-creators of the physical environment, which is significantly affected by the consequences of climate change. However, the education of civil engineers faces the challenge of adapting the relevant competencies and teaching methods to prepare students for those challenges. This paper presents the use of a living lab, which represents a set of physically existing and fully operational buildings showcasing modern building approaches, for an authentic, hands-on, and realistic learning environment in civil engineering education. A team of instructors developed, delivered, and evaluated an innovative course for a future-oriented civil engineering education and made use of the living lab as a physical course environment. The results of the course evaluation indicate that the use of living labs enhances the understanding of sustainable construction methods and increases student motivation.