The Community of Practice (CoP) of the Lisbon Living Lab met for the first time on the 9th of March, getting together around 90 participants. These included a diversity of stakeholders, such as representatives from national and local authorities (e.g., environment, health), regulators, non-governmental organizations, water utilities, water and landscaping associations, technology suppliers, as well as residents’ associations from the pilot areas where the LL solutions are being implemented.

This first CoP was held amidst one of the driest Winters of Portuguese history, and certainly received an enthusiastic response from stakeholders. The meeting welcomed both LL stakeholders as well as followers from the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (municipalities and water utilities), which could in the future replicate B-WaterSmart tools and technologies (e.g., non-potable water reuse for irrigation).

Catarina Freitas, the new director of Environment, Green Structure, Energy, and Climate at the Municipality of Lisbon, welcomed the participants and presented the vision and strategy for a water-smart city, followed by presentations on the B-WaterSmart solutions by the LL partners (LNEC, Águas do Tejo Atlântico, Baseform, Lisboa E-Nova, Adene). This was the first contact of the CoP members with the Lisbon solutions for water reuse, decision support and monitoring (Lisbon Observatories), and the climate-ready certificates for energy and water-efficient buildings. The meeting was hosted by Lisbon Municipality (CM Lisboa, LL owner), the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC, LL mentor), and the Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon (ICS-ULisboa, CoP moderator).

Following the presentations, the participants split into four breakout rooms to discuss their expectations and contributions toward a water-smart society through long-term engagement with the CoP activities. The participants discussed which working groups would be useful, in order to work regularly on topics such as business models for alternative water sources, urban planning, professional training, health risks, and awareness-raising.

The second CoP meeting will be held in Lisbon in April. It is planned as an in-person workshop, where the CoP members will validate the Lisbon Strategic Agenda for Water-Smartness and follow up on the results of the first meeting, including the completion and approval of the Lisbon CoP Charter.