Co-creating and imagining livability: Visions and needs of houseboat residents in the energy transition

This paper explores the transition to sustainable practices and energy efficiency in urban environments, focusing on houseboat communities in Amsterdam. Houseboats, with their cultural heritage dating back to the 17th century, encounter challenges in adopting energy-efficient measures despite municipal initiatives. Many still rely on gas for cooking and lack solar panels, amidst ongoing issues such as rising living costs, legal uncertainties, and neighborhood disturbances. Part of the Envision Change project within the EU's Driving Urban Transition (DUT), this study employs ethnographic and participatory methods to investigate the needs, aspirations, and challenges of houseboat residents on the Stadhouderskade in adopting energy-efficient measures. Specifically, it examines their role in broader initiatives aiming to transform Stadhouderskade into 'The Green Mile,' a sustainable, green, and vibrant urban environment. The research highlights citizen perspectives on energy efficiency and broader livability issues, revealing concerns, comforts, and preferences regarding noise pollution, waste management, tourism, and urban redevelopment. The findings emphasize that the uptake of energy efficiency measures are intertwined with broader discussions on the livibality of resident’s physical and natural surroundings and the values associated with canal living, such as individualism, activism, and autonomy. This paper reflects on the implications for creating livable cities, emphasizing the importance of engaging residents as co-responsible collaborators in efforts to enhance the livability of their surroundings and encourage the adoption of energy efficiency.