Building on the insights gathered during the November workshop, Pilot 8 reunited with the Polygones community in Meyrin on 29 April for a second participatory session, this time moving from exploration to concrete co-design.
While the first event focused on understanding how citizens perceive local energy communities, this session translated those insights into action. Working directly alongside residents, the team co-designed two tangible versions of a flexible energy application: one tailored for personal household use and another designed for shared community spaces.
Participants explored which functionalities would make the application genuinely useful in their daily lives, not only from a technical perspective but also in a way that is intuitive and aligned with real habits. A key theme emerged strongly: residents want to know that the small efforts they make, such as shifting their laundry to off-peak hours when the grid is under strain or renewable production is expected to increase, translate into a real and measurable environmental impact, while ideally also generating savings on their energy bills.
The session also marked an important milestone in the co-creation process, as an early-stage prototype was tested directly in context through a usability evaluation. This hands-on exercise allowed both the team and participants to experience the application’s value firsthand, gather feedback quickly, and begin moving towards a solution that truly reflects community needs.
The results reinforced a central conviction of Pilot 8: a meaningful energy transition happens when residents are not merely consulted but become active partners in shaping the tools they will ultimately use.
