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Energy transition is necessary, given that the share of fossil fuels in the total energy production ensures that we will not achieve the climate goals as set out in the Paris Agreements. Moreover, this energy transition is not only necessary because of the climate aspect, but also because of the geopolitical dependence on the supply and the easily accessible stocks of fossil fuels are in danger of being quickly exhausted. But this energy transition cannot only take place in a technological way-i.e., choice of energy source or generation-but must also be accompanied by an adapted flexibility, storage, and consumption. This can also evolve towards "energy as a service". To successfully make this paradigm shift possible, including the adapted business models, this is best done by involving the largest possible co-creation of as many stakeholders as possible, through social innovation. For the sake of additional knowledge, but also to achieve broad support and a smooth introduction. Transition teams play a key role in this respect in the context of a Multilevel Perspective approach with both monetary and social impact. This paper illustrates the role of three transition teams in a higher education institution in Belgium, an energy producer in the Netherlands and a grassroots experiment in the Netherlands. Their first realizations in "building coalition for change" are reported, together with the growth process into a "Change Through Network". This involves Energy as a service-including Public Civil Partnerships-and Energy Efficiency Service Companies that contribute to a smart sustainable building for a healthy human in a smart city. We show that this is a catalyst for a new corporate approach for the energy producer, a new social domain/neighborhood economy at the grassroot and a next level of pioneership for the Sustainable Development Goals within the higher education institution.

Higher educations institutions (HEI), a key player in the promotion of sustainable development (SD) are making advancements in SD implementation (e.g. in terms of campus greening, curriculum renewal and research orientations). The University college PXL is a centre of expertise for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. She organizes her activities always starting from the quadrupole helix model (interaction between government, knowledge institutes, industry and society).

Interest in strategic approaches to sustainability has been steadily increasing. After the birth of “environmentally sustainable development” (Brundtland commission 1987), there was the introduction of the millennium goals (2000), subsequently replaced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This concept yields the opportunity to combine overall, regional and specific targets in combination with health and wellbeing improvements. Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions linked to energy use in buildings are significant (6, 5% direct and 12% indirect) worldwide. Thus to be successful in the transition into the Post Fossil-Carbon Society, there is a need to reduce the energy consumption as well as to minimize GHG emissions (27% in EC by 2030). Energy efficient campus buildings not only save money, but also are more comfortable and contribute to a more effective learning environment. PXL has initiated a customized postgraduate Energy Efficiency Services (EES), and has introduced sustainability into their professional (technical) bachelor courses as well as into teaching methods (curriculum renewal). Because of the EES, Energy Quick Scans (EQS) have been performed and the scope for the introduction of an Energy Performing Contract (EPC) is now studied. Plymouth University has long been a leader in sustainability education in the UK and is renowned for working towards a model of the sustainable university. Research on energy literacy forms a key part of these developments in collaboration with other UK universities as well as the University of Beira Interior (UBI). UBI has put significant work into conserving buildings with historical, cultural and architectural value, as well as revitalizing these into teaching and investigation spaces. Data on students' energy-related attitudes and the effects of EE projects on their health and wellbeing will be collected through a survey of students. This will take the form of a self-administered online questionnaire, based on that used in the UK and Portugal (Cotton et al., 2015; 2016). The survey is made available to students via the institutional web-pages, and/or by direct emails from administrative staff. As well as assessing students’ energy literacy, the instrument was designed to gather information about students’ perceptions of the environmental practices of their institution in relation to energy use. Findings from analysis of this work will be discussed, alongside the introduction of this questionnaire in PXL. A preliminary comparison with the results of other HEIs in the UK and Portugal will be given. The results suggest that students in different national and institutional contexts have differing attitudes and report undertaking different types of energy saving behaviours, as well as having differing perceptions of their own energy usage. The new data will be situated within the context of a rollout of this approach to other departments/buildings through the introduction of an EPC contract. The interactions between the physical environment (buildings) and students’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (energy literacy) form a crucial context for EE projects in higher education. The link between sustainability and wellbeing offers the opportunity to shift the attention of students in a HEI more to corporate social responsibility in combination with the SDGs.

The debate on energy and sustainability is of main interest. Special attention and priority is continuously given to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses (GHG), in particular to avoid CO2 emission as this is an important aspect in global warming. The heating of buildings, both public and private, is a large energy end-user. It is obviously clear that besides energy reduction also energy efficiency as well as energy flexibility will need to be successful. One is only interested to perform sustainable investments if lower cost can be guaranteed, so together with new technologies, new business models must be developed. In addition the alternatives need to be faithfull and of high quality. Besides energy and environmental aspects Non Energy Benefits (NEB) are generated as well during energy efficiency processes, so there is a need to discuss and determine values and visions. The university college PXL has recently started an interdisciplinary postgraduate EES Energy Efficiency Services including three modules: iterative output driven energy efficiency services, project cycle costs and aspects of in- and external communication. There is a mixed partnership of public and private stakeholders. Let us hope that we can counter our environmental problems either with better application of existing technologies or by inventing new (applications of) clean technologies together with new business models.