Vincent Becue

Analysing urban resilience through alternative stormwater management options: Application of the conceptual Spatial Decision Support System model at the neighbourhood scale

Recent changes in cities and their environments, caused by rapid urbanisation and climate change, have increased both flood probability and the severity of flooding. Consequently, there is a need for all cities to adapt to climate and socio-economic changes by developing new strategies for flood risk management. Following a risk paradigm shift from traditional to more integrated approaches, and considering the uncertainties of future urban development, one of the main emerging tasks for city managers becomes the development of resilient cities. However, the meaning of the resilience concept and its operability is still not clear. The goal of this research is to study how urban engineering and design disciplines can improve resilience to floods in urban neighbourhoods. This paper presents the conceptual Spatial Decision Support System (DS3) model which we consider a relevant tool to analyse and then implement resilience into neighbourhood design. Using this model, we analyse and discuss alternative stormwater management options at the neighbourhood scale in two specific areas: Rotterdam and New Orleans. The results obtained demonstrate that the DS3 model confirmed in its framework analysis that stormwater management systems can positively contribute to the improved flood resilience of a neighbourhood.

Contributing to urban resilience to floods with neighbourhood design: the case of Am Sandtorkai/Dalmannkai in Hamburg

On‐going changes in cities caused by rapid urbanisation and climate change have increased both the flood probability and the severity of flooding. Consequently, there is a need for all cities to adapt to climate and socio‐economic changes by developing new strategies for flood risk management. The following risk paradigm shifts from traditional to more integrated approaches, since one of the main emerging tasks for city managers is the development of resilient cities. The concept of resilience is becoming more and more important, despite the many challenges that interfere with its implementation. The goal of this research is to create knowledge on how to operationalise flood resilience at the neighbourhood level through neighbourhood design. A research approach was used and a qualitative analysis tool, the DS3 model, was developed in order to study a particular neighbourhood of HafenCity, in Hamburg. Results show that design measures involving transportation infrastructure, land use (open public spaces) and buildings have been the main contributions to the flood resilience of the neighbourhood.

From the ‘smart ground’ to the ‘smart city’: An analysis of ten European case-studies

During the last two centuries, the urban percentage of the worlds population, combined with the overall growth phenomenon, has deeply increased and it is projected to reach 60% by 2030. In this current context linked to environmental issues managing to plan sustainable cities appears a main policy target. The implementation of Zero Energy Buildings as a European target becomes a challenge for the energy savings with the significant commitment for larger urban scales. The aim of this paper is the development of a methodological systemic approach about energy management in a ‘district scale’ with zero energy context within the analysis of ten European case-studies to the potential of a ‘smart ground’ towards the development of a ‘smart city’. This work opens and addresses numerous future research perspectives that should be investigated widely to develop districts with an operational, sustainable and long-term context.

Case study of mixed-use high-rise location at the Greater Paris scale

The phenomenon of urbanization is recognized all around the world: cities are growing, changing, renewing. For over a century, these transformations were possible thanks to numerous technical and technological progresses. Among the characteristic components of urban environment, the vertical construction is experiencing a more or less accepted success, according to the regions, populations or cultures. More present on the North American continent since their birth, and more recently implanted in the Asian countries, towers were for a long while a land and economical result. Today, the stakes have evolved and the towers are well-known for their strong symbol of economic power with a local, global or international influence. Among European cities, Paris is showing less enthusiasm concerning tower construction on its territory and is having trouble to develop high-rise projects. Nevertheless, more and more projects of this kind are proposed – especially in the strategies of the Greater Paris consultation – but they are hardly approved. This is why it is necessary to question oneself about the means to find a judicious establishment and an adapted program, allowing a good insertion of a tower in the urban fabric, at the building, district or city scale. We first establish a method which relates and analyses typological and contextual criteria, allowing the situation’s assessment and the impacts’ evolution of a tower project in the sustainable city. These criteria are mainly used as a support of decision making and are consequently useful for the creation of case studies, easier to understand for elected members and citizens, since they clearly expose the issues.

Towards a Net-Zero Energy District Transformation in a Mono-criterion Scenario Analysis - The Case of Bo01, Malmö District

Transforming cities to deal with the resource scarcity and the threats of the climate change remain major challenges in the urban development. Hence, districts are already taking an active key role in European policies. Buildings are a key consumer of energy worldwide representing over than 40% of the overall energy consumption at European level. In this current context of arising interest, reducing energy consumption is an important target. During the last years, the ‘zero energy idea’ has been introduced in international scientific literature review aiming at a more sustainable urban and built environment focusing on individual buildings by articulating the requirements for an annual basis of an energy balance equal to zero. ‘U-ZED’ (Urban-Zero Energy Districts) methodological assessment tool focuses on the challenge of zero energy objective on a district scale. In this paper, the analysis emphasises the ‘transformation’ of Bo01 Malmö area in a mixed-use zero energy district.

A Simplified Methodological Approach Towards the Net Zero Energy District

Zero energy conceptual framework is attracting increasing interest in European target policies aiming at more sustainable and liveable urban and built environments. Despite its compelling context in scientific literature and practical applications, the commonly used approach is principally adopted on the aspect of an individual building. Cases with zero energy concept are few in literature. The aim of this paper is the development of a methodological approach to extend the ‘zero energy building’ to the ‘zero energy district’ by taking into account two challenges: (1) the impact of urban structure (typo-morphology) on the actual energy needs and (2) the location. It proposes a simplified methodology within three strategic axes through the systemic approach of the district and thereby opens and addresses future research perspective to be widely investigated to develop ‘smart’ districts with operational and long-term context by introducing the notion of ‘smart ground’.