HELIOS Foundation - SWIFFT Chair

About the chair

A key pillar of this project is the DeCarbonLab - an innovative hub on campus focused on issues of transitions and transformations, and a model for new paradigms within universities.

The HELIOS-SWIFFT Chair will unite the efforts of VUB-ULB research groups, developing a systemic and multidisciplinary approach to energy transition challenges. The chair promotes collaborative research that builds strong partnerships with industry, civil society, and policymakers, contributing to the ongoing societal, industrial, economic, and political transformations in Belgium. By doing so, SWIFFT supports decision-making processes aimed at a sustainable future.

About the research

Thanks to the support of the HELIOS Foundation over five years, 4 interdisciplinary research projects have been launched:

• Sustainable Transformations, Transdisciplinary Research and Wellbeing. 
  Promoters: Cathy Macharis (VUB, House of Sustainable Transitions) and Wouter Achten (ULB, Faculté des Sciences)
• Sustainable Sustainable Engineering
  Promoters: Alessandro Parente (ULB, Ecole Polytechnique de Bruxelles) and Julien Blondeau (VUB, Faculty of Engineering)
• Decarbonization and Justice
  Promoters: Bas van Heur (VUB) and Tom Bauler (ULB-Faculté des Sciences).
• Decarbonization and Finance
  Promoters: Marek Hudon (ULB, Faculté Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management) and David Bassens (VUB, Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering).

DeCarbon Lab

The DeCarbonLab serves as a collaborative workspace for a multidisciplinary team of researchers, led by professors specializing in energy and climate transitions. The lab fosters collaboration with academic partners worldwide and encourages interaction with policymakers and business leaders. Located on a shared VUB/ULB campus dedicated to transition and transformation issues, the DeCarbonLab works closely with BrIAS (Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies, ULB-VUB), which attracts leading scientists to address pressing societal issues.