On 28 May 2026, the TOGETHER Project held its first Living Lab workshop in Egaleo, Greece. Local authorities, civil protection actors, social services, volunteer organisations, researchers, and community representatives were invited and they jointly contributed to explore challenges and opportunities for improving heatwave preparedness, response, and recovery.
The workshop was organised within the framework of the TOGETHER Project’s Disaster Risk Management Innovation Hub (DRMIH) in Egaleo. Living Labs are a central component of the project, providing a collaborative environment where stakeholders can identify challenges, share experiences, and contribute to the co-creation of practical solutions for disaster risk management. Through these activities, TOGETHER aims to strengthen coordination, governance, and cooperation across sectors and governance levels, while ensuring that the project’s tools and solutions are grounded in real operational needs.
The Egaleo Living Lab focused on heatwaves, one of the most significant climate-related risks affecting urban areas in Greece. Participants included representatives from the Municipality of Egaleo, social services, municipal police, volunteer and first-aid organisations, civil society groups, researchers, and disaster risk management practitioners. Several stakeholder organisations involved in emergency management, community support, and local resilience-building activities also contributed to the discussions. Although participation from the private sector was more limited than expected, the workshop generated valuable insights from the public sector and civil society actors directly involved in the field, managing heatwave impacts.
The workshop was structured around the three key phases of the disaster management cycle: preparedness, response, and recovery. Participants first carried out a joint assessment of current strengths and challenges before identifying and prioritising actions that could improve resilience to future heatwave events.
One of the strongest messages emerging from the discussions was the importance of protecting vulnerable populations. While most residents are able to cope with periods of extreme heat, participants highlighted that certain groups remain particularly exposed, including elderly people living alone, homeless individuals, people experiencing energy poverty, and those with limited social support networks. The workshop showcased how municipalities currently rely on a combination of social services, municipal police patrols, community centres, cooling shelters and informal neighbourhood networks to identify and support vulnerable citizens during heatwaves.
Participants also emphasised the value of strong local social connections, in a community like the one of Egaleo that is indeed small and where social bonds are tight. Community centres, volunteer organisations, and neighbourhood networks play an important role in disseminating information, directing people to cooling spaces, and ensuring that those most at risk receive assistance when needed. These informal mechanisms often complement formal emergency management structures and contribute significantly to local resilience.
Another important finding concerned governance and coordination. Unlike some of the challenges identified during the Oslo Living Lab, participants generally considered information sharing within the municipality and between local organisations to be effective. However, they pointed to difficulties in coordination between municipalities and challenges associated with the transfer of information and decisions between national, regional, and local levels. Participants noted that local authorities sometimes require greater flexibility to respond to conditions that differ from broader regional assessments.
The discussions also explored the role of technology and decision-support tools. Stakeholders expressed interest in practical tools that could support scenario planning, clarify roles and responsibilities, and improve situational awareness during heatwave events. At the same time, participants stressed that technology should complement, rather than replace, human judgement and local expertise.
Education emerged as another key priority. Participants highlighted the need for hazard-specific educational programmes in schools, helping younger generations better understand heatwave risks, prevention measures, energy use, and personal protection strategies. There was particular interest in local information platforms, educational resources, and communication tools capable of reaching different groups through both digital and non-digital channels.
The findings from the Egaleo Living Lab will contribute directly to the development of the TOGETHER Toolkit, supporting the design of governance solutions, interoperability frameworks, and decision-support tools that respond to the needs of practitioners and communities. Together with the Living Labs in Oslo and Orihuela, this workshop helps ensure that the project reflects diverse local realities while advancing its overall goal of strengthening disaster risk governance, coordination, and resilience across Europe.
The TOGETHER consortium thanks all participants for their valuable contributions and looks forward to continuing the co-creation process through future Living Lab activities.
