We started another busy day by visiting the Copenhagen Solutions Lab, located in BloxHub, an innovation and co-working space that brings together those who are co-creating solutions for cities. We learned about some of the smart cities initiatives being led by Copenhagen Solutions Lab. Unfortunately, a fire alarm cut our time there short, but some of the trip participants whose work focuses on smart cities stuck around for a more focused tour and conversation.
The rest of the group made our way to the train station, where we took a train to Kalundborg, and received a tour and presentation from the Symbiosis Center. While there, Per spoke to us about the process they engage in there. Kalundborg has created jobs and economic development by attracting corporations to the area who can use each others waste as a resource. So, steam previously vented into the atmosphere is now captured and transported to another facility where it is used for heating. For Kalundborg, waste is not seen as “waste” but as a “secondary resource”.
After our tour of the various facilities, we got on a ferry to the island of Samso, which we were to tour the next day. Samso is known for powering itself completely by renewable energy.