On the 13th August 2023, Birzeit University | جامعة بيرزيت ,lead beneficiary of CARISMED project, conducted the second part of the 4th awareness and training day for SMEs on Low-Cost Adaptive Re-use (LCARS) of Abandoned Buildings for Creating CCI Innovation Lab in Hebron City. The training workshop was entitled; “Proximity & Spatial Re-use”-Part Two. The event was hosted at Uncle Saleh’s Restaurant in Hebron, and eleven craftsmen from various trades participated in the workshop.

It aims to design strategies for operating the reused old building as a studio lab for SMES in Hebron.The trainers presented various and specialized contents, interactive discussions and brainstorming on the following subjects:

• Community Engagement Strategies for Adaptive Reuse Projects: How to engage and involve local communities in the adaptive reuse process, how to educate the public about the benefits of circular economy principles, how to involve local communities’ members in identifying and salvaging building materials, and how to create public spaces that encourage sharing and reuse.

• Monitoring and Evaluating the Environmental Impact of Adaptive Reuse Projects: How to monitor and evaluate the environmental impact of adaptive reuse projects, how to assess the carbon footprint of different reuse strategies, how to measure the reduction in waste generated by reuse projects, and how to evaluate the long-term sustainability of reuse projects.

During the workshop brainstorming and discussions topics has been raised to operate the selected building in Hebron City as a Studio Lab for SMES, such as:

• The administration of the Studio Lab.
• The contribution of the community participation to success the Studio Lab operation.
• The contribution of the educational institutions and industrial companies to success the Studio Lab operation.
• The contribution of SMES in furnishing and equipment of the Studio Lab.

At the end of the event, participants agreed on a common definition of the innovation lab:

• It is a place dedicated to brainstorming for artisans, in order to discuss the best products that can be marketed and there is a demand for them, and the products that need to be developed on them.
• It is a site or place to provide equipment not available to craftsmen in their own torches.
• The equipment that will be provided in the laboratory is to assist in the production of the primary product.
• It is also a space for displaying artisan products for local marketing

Moreover partner institutions divided the responsibility of managing this laboratory as follow:

1. Hebron Governorate: provide security for the site
2. Hebron Municipality: provide support and logistical services
3. The Ministry of Tourism: activate the tourism of the site.
4. Hebron Chamber of Commerce and Industry: manage and coordinates the intellectual property of the products.