RESPOND – research project on the long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on societies and economies across the world. This has been most evident during the lockdowns and the many restrictions on social life, but what will be the long-term impact of the pandemic on society, the built environment and the everyday life of people? This is the key focus of the RESPOND research project, which is funded by the Danish philanthropist foundation Realdania.

RESPOND focuses on long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark on everyday life and the built environment. It does so by zooming in on five societal spheres: Dwellings, workplaces, cities & public space, leisure activities & consumption, and institutional contexts (e.g. nursing homes). RESPOND focuses on the daily life of people within these spheres as well as on how the built environment changes in response to new practices. The overall aim is to identify, document and explore COVID-19-related transformations.

The empirical and analytical focus is directed further by the question of how these transformations interrelate with the three central, societal challenges of the time we are living in: Social balance and equality, regional development, and green transition. It is the aim of RESPOND to contribute with new knowledge on how “lessons learned” from the pandemic can help us in addressing these three societal challenges. In this way, the project aims to contribute to building up resilience of societies and the built environment against future challenges such as new pandemics, climate change, economic crises etc.

RESPOND combines quantitative and qualitative methods through integrated studies of changes within the five spheres. Statistical analyses of Danish register data and repeated surveys are carried out throughout the project to monitor COVID-19-related changes. In parallel with this, qualitative studies are completed to explore specific themes in detail.

RESPOND runs from early 2022 to the end of 2025. The project is based at Department of the Built Environment, Aalborg University, but it will also reach out to other researchers and institutions for collaboration. It has received 20 million DKK (2,7 million euro) in funding from REALDANIA.

The RESPOND research project at Aalborg University is part of a bigger project, which also involves a subproject focusing on developing new solutions. The research project of RESPOND runs in parallel to this innovation-oriented project, and the two “tracks” of RESPOND will inform each other. See the website of the overall RESPOND project here (in Danish): https://realdania.dk/projekter/respond---rammerne-for-den-nye-hverdag