Sophie Lufkin

Strategies for Symbiotic Urban Neighbourhoods

Utilizing the results of a case study on the Gare-Lac sector in the city of Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland - the site is currently a large urban brownfield, intended to host ca. 3,800 additional inhabitants and 1,200 jobs upon completion - this work examines how to design attractive urban neighbourhoods that generate endogenous economic activity and foster socio-cultural dynamics, while moving towards local energy self-sufficiency. Exploring the different dimensions influencing energy self-sufficiency at the neighbourhood scale by integrating parameters related to buildings, infrastructure, mobility, food, goods and services, the work focuses on three scenarios (technological, behavioural and symbiotic) for the future development of this neighbourhood through 2035. The scenarios test different design strategies related to industrial symbioses, production, storage, transportation, and urban agriculture.

GREEN DENSITY A Transdisciplinary Research and Teaching Project for the Design of Sustainable Neighbourhoods

The GREEN DENSITY transdisciplinary research and teaching project focuses on the Waldstadt sector, a strip of forest bordering the city of Bern. This strategic site, likely to host new inhabitants and jobs close to public transport, is particularly adapted to explore urban densification issues. The objective is to experiment, compare and evaluate diverse possible urban forms for the development of such a site. The process includes the elaboration of six urban and architectural visions from students’ projects developed within Rey’s studio at Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne (EPFL) and their transdisciplinary multi-criteria assessment.

Towards integrated design strategies for implementing BIPV systems into urban renewal processes: first case study in Neuchâtel (Switzerland)

In view of the importance of urban renewal processes, building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems can potentially provide a crucial response to the challenges of the energy turnaround. Functioning both as envelope material and electricity generator, they can simultaneously reduce the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions while providing savings in materials and electricity costs. These are precisely the objectives of most European energy directives, from zero- to positive-energy buildings. In Switzerland for instance, one way to achieve the objectives of the “Energy strategy 2050” is to install PV systems to cover 1/3 of the annual electricity demand. However, despite continuous technological and economic progress, the significant assets of BIPV remain broadly undervalued in the current practice. Various obstacles (technology choice, small volumes, lack of information and good examples, etc.) tend to increase the costs and reduce the acceptance of BIPV solutions. The present paper is an integral part of an interdisciplinary research project. Focusing on the architectural design issues, it presents the first results of a representative case study carried out in the city of Neuchâtel (Switzerland). The approach involves four main phases (Fig.1): (i) archetypes identification, (ii) building detailed analysis, (iii) development of architectural renewal design scenarios, and (iv) multi-criteria assessment of each scenario (energy consumption, electricity production, cost-effectiveness, and Life-Cycle Analysis). The application of the proposed approach on a case study allows us to initiate the first step towards a holistic and reliable multi-criteria comparison methodology for BIPV-adapted solutions in urban renewal design processes in the Swiss context.