The document discusses the sustainability research at Batir, part of the Brussels School of Engineering, highlighting its structure, key labs, and various research tracks focused on integrated design, urbanism, and environmental assessments. It emphasizes the commitment to sustainable architecture and urbanism through comprehensive educational programs and research aimed at addressing significant urban sustainability challenges. Additionally, it presents various frameworks for evaluating ecological impacts and urban planning strategies in response to climate change and demographic pressures.

1. Building, Architecture and Town Planning department
Brussels School of Engineering / Ecole Polytechnique de Bruxelles, ULB
Sustainability Research at BATir
Prof. Dr. ir-ar. ur. AHMED Z. KHAN
Chair Sustainable Architecture, & Urbanism
Ahmed.khan@ulb.ac.be

2. Sustainability Research at BATir: Structure of the presentation
BATir Overview
§ Research, Teaching, & Staff strength
§ 5 LABs
Sustainability research tracks @ BATir
§ 1. Integrated Design – AK
§ 2. Cities of the future in the framework of GEB – AK
§ 3. Town planning, Mobility & Sustainable Urbanism – PB
§ 4. Multi-scale life cycle energy analysis – AS
§ 5. Urban Metabolism – AA
§ 6. Integrating Urban form, Energy and Bioclimatism for sustainable urbanism – SH
§ 7. Ecosystem Services optimization for Sustainable design and urbanism – PS
§ 8. Design & optimization from a sustainability perspective – RFC
§ 9. Shallow geothermy - BF
§ TEFRACEM / ECOBES - SS
§ Brussels Retrofit XL - Energy efficient renovation of historic buildings - AG

3. BATir Overview: Research, Teaching, & Staff strength
§ Fusion of 5 labs related to the built environment
§ Research & teaching spans over a large spectrum of topics covering: Civil engineering,
Architectural engineering & Town Planning.
§ 14 full-time professors, 1 FNRS R.A., 80 V. ac. staff ~ 30 FTE, 7 postdocs, & 29 PhD students

4. BATir Overview: 5 LABs
Sustainability Research Coordinators
@
BATir
§ Prof. Ahmed Z. Khan
Chair Sustainable Architecture & Urbanism
§ Full Prof. Philippe Bouillard
Chair SMC & Sustainable Urbanism

5. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
Prof. Ahmed Z. Khan
T#1 - Integrated Design for Sustainable Architecture & Urbanism
§
§
§
§
§
§
1. THEORY - Sustainability Science, theory & discourse
2. DESIGN – Research by design and Urban design
3. PLANNING – strategic spatial planning, policy, governance
4. ASSESSMENT – strategic / sustainability / enviromental
5. INFRASTRUCTURE – Mobility, transport, utilities
6. ECOLOGY – climate change, ecosystems, Bioclimatism
T#2 - Cities of the Future in the framework of GEB (Global Ecological Balance)
§
§
§
§
§
§
1. Exploring Urban Futures
2. Carbon Neutrality & Air Quality
3. Energy sufficiency
4. Resilience
5. Livability
6. Social cohesion

6. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
Best
Prac?ce
/
Cases
Exploring
Urban
Best
Futures
Prac?ce/
Carbon
Neutrality
DESIGN
Research by Design
& Urban design
1&2
Best
Prac?ce
/
Cases
Energy
Sufficiency
IDSAU
Cases
INTEGRATED DESIGN FOR USTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE & URBANISM
CITIES OF THE FUTURE IN THE FRAMEWORK OF GLOBAL ECOLOGICAL BALANCE
Best
COFGEB
Prac?ce/
Social
Cases
Mobility, Transport.
Utilities
Cohesion
Resilience
INFRASTRURE
Best
Prac?ce
/
Cases
Livability
Best
Prac?ce
/
Cases

7. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
Best Practice /
Cases
Exploring
Urban
Best
Futures
Practice/
Carbon
Neutrality
DESIGN
Research by Design
& Urban design
1&2
Best Practice /
Cases
Energy
Sufficiency
Cases
IDSAU
INTEGRATED DESIGN FOR USTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE & URBANISM
CITIES OF THE FUTURE IN THE FRAMEWORK OF GLOBAL ECOLOGICAL BALANCE
Best
COFGEB
Practice/
Social
Cases
Mobility, Transport.
Utilities
Cohesion
Resilience
INFRASTRURE
Best Practice /
Cases
Livability
Best Practice /
Cases

8. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
Research Tracks
IDSAU
framework
with
6
thema?c
and
disciplinary
rela?onal
tracks
§ Educa&onal
contribu&on
+
organizing
and
structuring
the
development
of
individual
PhD
student’s
research
trajectories.
1.
Theory
involves
theory-­‐building
track
on
the
rela&onships
between
sustainability
pillars
(3Es
–
economy,
ecology,
equity),
values
and
ethics,
and
their
reinterpreta&ons
in
the
design,
policy
and
technological
discourses
reflected
in
the
prolifera&ng
transi&on
strategies
for
enhancing
theore&cal
underpinnings
of
ID
2.
Design
involves
research
by
design
&
urban
design
track
into
building
&
urban
form,
infrastructure,
density
&
land-­‐use
rela&onship
at
different
scales
(building,
cluster,
neighborhood
to
city
&
region)
&
their
transforma&ons
for
developing
new
concepts,
strategies
&
scenarios
for
ID
(Integrated
Design)
3.
Planning
involves
research
into
the
rela&onships
between
various
substan&al
sustainability
issues,
land-­‐use
change
dynamics,
mul&-­‐level
governance,
and
their
policy
dimensions
for
ID
&
sustainable
urban
development

9. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
4.
Strategic
Assessment
-­‐
Indicators
/
Models
involves
research
into
the
rela&onships
between
different
sustainability
measurement
systems
(indicators
&
indexes)
at
different
scales
and
their
underlying
methodological
base
(LCA,
ecological/carbon
foot-­‐print,
embodied
energy
to
eco-­‐
indicators
&
externali&es)
for
developing
new
integrated
models
&
simula&on
methods
for
ID
5.
Infrastructure,
Mobility,
Transport
involves
research
into
the
rela&onships
between
infrastructures
of
all
kind,
mobility,
mul&-­‐modality,
u&li&es
(energy,
water,
gas,
communica&on,
etc.),
transporta&on
modes
(hard
&
soP
i.e.
road,
rail,
water
&
air-­‐ways;
and
pedestrian,
bicycle,
etc.),
and
the
way
they
influence
urban
morpholology,
and
shapes
urban
forms
that
require
integrated
models
&
simula&on
methods
for
ID
4.
Ecology,
Climate
Change,
Ecosystems
involves
research
into
the
rela&onships
between
ecosystem
services
(par&cularly
the
urban
ones),
material
and
immaterial
urban
ecologies,
urban
metabolism,
bioclima&sm,
in
the
context
of
climate
change
(UHI,
HW,
etc)
in
order
to
develop
new
integrated
design,
planning
and
policy
responses

10. !
BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
Integrated Design for SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE & URBANISM
THEORY
DESIGN
PLANNING
Sustainability Science,
theory & discourse
Research by Design & Urban Design
Planning, public policy & Governance
Sustainability Pillars,
Values, Models, science;
Urban & Arch. Theory
Relationships between
Pillars (3Es – economy,
ecology, equity), Values
(participation, solidarity,
etc.) and their
reinterpretations
Paradigm shifts: Genesis
of envt’l movement, env’tdevelopment politics,
climate change, global
warming & sustainability,
natural capitalism,
ecosophy
History: Urban
environmental history,
history of technology, STS
Green consciousness in
architecture, urbanism &
Building envelope & Urban form, land-use and
Density interrelationships
Existential fields / sectors towards
integrated, inter-sectoral and SES
based
Design imperatives: Mixed use, low rise, high
Policy imperatives: Social cohesion,
density, compact, climate-sensitive and resource / environmental sustainability & democratic
energy conserving Integrated design
governance
Substantial issues: energy & entropy, urban
Substantial issues: Social exclusion,
sprawl, heat island, brownfields
environmental degradation, uneven
Analytical frame: Urbanisation & urbanism
development
Analytical frame: Globalisation and
dialectics; spatial structures & social processes
co-define each other; building envelope & urban
rescaling / restructuring processes
form as factors of sustainability
Approaches: strategic spatial planning,
Approaches: Strategic projects, spatial & Typospatial analysis, Transition management,
morphological analysis, research by design,
3P/3E, SES [eco-services & systems
mapping/modelling, GIS
theory], spatial justice & political ecology
Dimensions:
Dimensions:
- Density related [e.g. Space syntax: Urban space - socio-spatial inequalities;
consumption per capita over time]
- Welfare and social services;
- Urban form related [Compact, Polycentric,
- Education and training];
edge, just, eco - city];
- Diversity and identity;
- Infrastructure related [TODs, multi-modal hubs, - Creativity and innovation;

11. !
!
!
BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
Integrated Design for SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE & URBANISM
ECOLOGY
Climate change, Ecosystems,
Bioclimatism
INFRASTRUCTURE
Mobility, Infrastructure,
Multi-modality
Urban Climate change, Urban
ecosystem services, material &
immaterial urban ecologies, Urban
metabolism, Bioclimatic design &
strategies
Transportation, Mobility,
utilities (energy, water, gas,
heat, etc.), Multi-modality
Design criteria: Research by design, process etc.
Design criteria:
Planning imperatives:
Planning imperatives:
Policy responses:
Policy Reponses:
Substantial issues: energy & entropy, urban sprawl, heat
island, brownfields
Substantial issues:
Analytical frame: Urbanisation & urbanism dialectics;
spatial structures & social processes co-define each other;
building envelope & urban form as factors of sustainability
Analytical frame:
Approaches: Strategic projects, spatial & Typomorphological analysis, research by design,
mapping/modelling, GIS
Dimensions:
-
Dimensions:
Approaches:
ASSESSMENT
Strategic Assessment Frameworks
INDICATORS or INDEX (label), modeling, scenarios
Integrated Sustainability assessment, Environmental
impact assessment, Environmental conflicts assessment
frameworks
Classification
Methodological base
[Ecological footprint, carbon
[ATHENA based]
calculations, to the eco@ Building scale @ NHD & Urban indicator and externalities]
scale
- product comparison
tools and information
sources (e.g. BEES,
SimaPro and TEAM)
- whole building
decision support tools
(e.g. ATHENA, BEAT
2002, BeCost, envest
2 and EQUER
- whole building
assessment
frameworks or
systems / qualitative
tools based on rating
systems (DCBAmethod, GBTool,
CASBEE, BREEAM
and LEED)
- BREEAM
communities,
- LEED for
Neighborhood
Development and CASBEE for Urban
Development
- LCA [Life Cycle
Assessment]; most tools @
building scale are based on
LCA, @ higher scales
increasingly include qualitative
judgments [e.g. urban
metabolism, material, energy
or mass flow accounting and
the ecodevice model]
- EIA based – ISO & CEN for
buildings, but mostly based
on LCA
- Eco-foot print based @
higher scales: - Food, Travel,
Home, Stuff

12. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
Strategic Environmental Conflict Assessment Framework: SECAF
Climate Change & Sea Level Rise
Source:
NASA
2012,
IPCC
2007

13. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
SECAF: Climate Change & SeaS T Level WRise:T I ECoastal Cities
ATE OF THE ORLD’S CI
S 2008/2009
§ LECZ or Low elevation coastal zone (< 10 m asl) covers ~ 2% of the world's land
N
area, but contains 10% of its total population and 13% of its urban population.
Graphs, Diagrams and Maps
§ Enormous Exposure of Populations and Assets [financial, physical, environmental
& socio-cultural] makes themdangerous: Cities and climate change
Drowned and the front-line for action
LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN CITIES AT RISK DUE TO SEA-LEVEL RISE
Source: UN-HABITAT Global Urban Observatory 2008
AFRICAN CITIES AT RISK DUE TO SEA-LEVEL RISE
ASIAN CITIES AT RISK DUE TO SEA-LEVEL RISE
Mogadishu
N
N
N
Source:
UN-­‐Habitat
2008
Source: UN-HABITAT Global Urban Observatory 2008
Source: UN-HABITAT Global Urban Observatory 2008
This is a UN-HABITAT Feature/Backgrounder, please feel free to publish or quote from this article provided UN-HAB
our website. For further information, please contact: For more information, please contact: Spokesperson & Head, P
Tel: (254 20) 762 3153; 762 3151; Fax: (254 20) 762 4060: E-mail: habitat.press@unhabitat.org; Website: www.unhabitat

14. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
SECAF: Climate Change & Sea Level Rise: Mobility Flows
WATER WAYS
AIR WAYS
LAND WAYS

15. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
SECAF: Climate Change & Sea Level Rise: HUMAN MOBILITY &
TOURISM

16. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
SECAF:Demographic Pressures:
1&2
World Population Growth Through History [Billions]
Number of years to add each billion (year)
World Population clock
More
Developed
Countries
Less
Developed
Countries
Less
Developed
Countries
(less
China)
80,794,218
1,234,907
79,559,311
71,906,587
221,354
3,383
217,971
197,004
154
2
151
137
Natural
Increase
per
World
Year
Day
Minute
Sources:
First
and
second
billion:
Popula&on
Reference
Bureau.
Third
through
ninth
billion:
United
Na&ons,
World
Popula+on
Prospects:
The
2004
Revision
(medium
scenario),
2005.

17. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
SECAF: Urbanization patterns:
1&2
GROWTH & RESTRUCTURING

18. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
SECAF: Urbanization patterns:
1&2
GROWTH & RESTRUCTURING
Source:
NASA

19. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
SECAF: Urbanization patterns: Use of Resources
1&2

20. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
SECAF: Use of ResourcesEnergy Consumption of Construction & Building
Other industries
(62.7%)
Operation of
Building
(10.2%)
Operation of
Business facilities
(9.9%)
Production of
materials
for construction
(10.9%)
Transportation
related to
construction
(5.0%)
Construction work
(1.3%)

21. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
ECUMENOPOLIS + ECUMENOKEPOS
ECUMENOPOLIS
GLOBAL CITY
+ GLOBAL GARDEN
GLOBAL
S PATIAL
S YNTHESIS
THE
D OUBLE
S CALE:
E COLOGY
O F
N ATURE & URBANISATION =
F RAMEWORK
F OR
U RBANISM
Solutions for Environmental contrasts in COastal Areas

22. 1 2
BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
&
SECAF: Global Ecological Balance - Global Garden
National Parks:
• During 1830s, the first National Parks in USA legislated
• Now, over 25,000 National Parks across the world
Protected Areas:
• Over 161,000 protected areas in the world (as of
October 2010) representing between 10 and 15
percent of the world's land surface area.
• By contrast, only 1.17% of the world's oceans is
included in the world's ~6,800 Marine Protected Areas.
Solutions for Environmental contrasts in COastal Areas

23. BATir
1 2
Sustainability Research Tracks
&
SECAF: Global Ecological Balance - Global CITIES?

24. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
SECAF: Global Ecological Balance - Global COASTAL CITIES?
Country
Case
study
1
Case
study
2
Italy
Belgium
Rome
Metropolitan
Area
Oostende
Portugal
Lisbon
Metropolitan
Area
Chie?-­‐Pescara
urban
area
Zeebrugge
Algarve
Region
and
Funchal
urban
area
United
Kingdom
Israel
India
Vietnam
Sweden
Thames
Gateway
Portsmouth
city
Tel
Aviv
metropolitan
area
Mumbai
Metropolitan
Area
Hai
Phong
Gothenburg
Metropolitan
Area
Haifa
metropolitan
area
Chennai
Metropolitan
Area
Nha
Trang
Malmö
Metropolitan
Area

25. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
SECAF: Global Ecological Balance - Global COASTAL CITIES?
Ports and Harbours [P&H]
Energy / power generation [EG]
Growth and Development of general Urban functions [UGD]
Natural environments and habitat [NEH]

26. BATir
SECAF:
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
Strategic Environmental Conflict Assessment Framework
Coastal
Urban
Environment
Coastal
Urban
Environment
R
SETTINGS
SYSTEMS
Resources
Related
eco-­‐
systems
–
climate
change
paierns,
pollu&on,
etc.
Socio-­‐economic,
Poli&cal,
Cultural
&
Spa&al
US
Users/
sectors
C
Conflicts
G
Governance
/
Planning
U
Uses
Interest & Pressure groups
Core sub-systems in a framework
for analyzing coastal area
environmental [CAE] conflicts
Interactions
Human Mobility
Conflict dynamics

27. BATir
SECAF:
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
Strategic Environmental Conflict Assessment Framework
R
Resources
US
Users
Physical/Natural
resources
Inhabitants/households
ecosystems
resources
-­‐
Soil
&
land-­‐use
resources
-­‐
Mineral
resources
-­‐
Water
resources
Tourism
sector
Social
&
cultural
resources
Agriculture
-­‐
Coastal
landscapes
&
Industry,
Trade
&
commerce
Ports
and
harbours
(PH):
ports
Ins&tu&onal:
Urban
growth
and
development
(UGD):
housing
Legal:
[sea
and
also
air]
and
harbours,
their
moderniza&on
/
expansion,
related
industrial
&
mobility
infrastructures
[and
second
homes],
infrastructure,
recrea&on,
resorts
/
hotels,
beaches,
coastal
defences
Energy
producers
Energy
genera&on
(EG):
Ports
&
harbours
Economy
&
employiert
Conven&onal
[hydel,
thermal,
nuclear]
&
renewables
[&dal,
solar,
wind,
etc.]
Environmental
&
Community
groups
Natural
environment
and
habitat
(NEH):
nature
reserves,
Second-­‐home
owners
Governance
Uses
Fishing
fleets
Archeological,
heritage
&
historical
resources
G
U
forests,
na&onal
parks,
bio-­‐diversity
zones
and
other
protected
areas.
Government
&
semi-­‐
govt.
organiza&ons
[local,
regional,
na&onal,
EU
/
Int’l]
Property-­‐rights
&
Legal
systems
Civil
society:
Nongovernmental
organiza&ons
Planning:
Urban
design
&
Planning
systems

28. BATir
SECAF:
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
Strategic Environmental Conflict Assessment Framework

29. BATir
SECAF:
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
Strategic Environmental Conflict Assessment Framework

30. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
Prof. Ahmed Z. Khan
SQAF: Spatial Quality Assessment Framework
1&2

31. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
Prof. Ahmed Z. Khan
1&2
SQAF: Spatial Quality Assessment Framework

32. CEEE-C, Sgt/Theme 4: Urban Applications
SCF project
1&2
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND WORK PLAN
BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
3.1 Overall research strategy
CEEE-C, Sgt/Theme 4: Urban Applications
SCF project
The research will be developed in five steps (to be elaborated later, illustrated below
in the scheme): I. Analysis; II. Integration; III. Projection; IV. Synthesis; V. Valorisation
and Dissemination
SCF: Smart Cities of the future
Prof. Ahmed Z. Khan
Centre d’Excellence en Efficacité Energétique
Center of Excellence in Energy Efficiency
! SGT4 - Thématique « applications urbaines » - Theme ‘Urban Applications’
___________________________________________________________________________________
Project: CSU
Centre for Sustainable Urbanism
Research Project title: SCF
SMART CITIES OF THE FUTURE:
Exploring Sustainable & Energy Sufficient Urban Futures in Wallonia
!
___________________________________________________________________________________
Table of Content:
0. General description
0.1 Project summary
1. Wallonian urban condition: A state of the art
1.1 Going beyond the state of the art
2. Concept and objectives of the project
3. Research methodology and work plan
3.1 Overall research strategy
3.2 Organisation of research
3.3 Work Packages and deliverables
4. Valorisation
5. Identification of research partners
6. Economic actors for valorisation
7. Personnel, equipment and infrastructure needed
8. Provisional budget
9. References
10. Appendices
Figure 11: Overall research strategy
Building, Architecture & Town Planning department, EPB
Université Libre de Bruxelles
1
Building, Architecture & Town Planning department, EPB
Université Libre de Bruxelles
15

33. negotiated and designed in a bottom-linked manner. Through its ongoing democratic practice involving a
wide diversity of neighbourhood, city, etc. actors, it improves relations between individuals and
organizations both within and outside the neighbourhood. Processes of SI are steered through socially
1&2
innovative governance [Mac Callum, D., et al. 2009]. In this regard, as mentioned earlier, we propose
BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
the establishment of a ‘European Social Innovation Network’. The following illustration shows how the
philosophy of SI through IAD works: it reacts to deprivation or poor service provision, is based on the
mobilisation of local and supra-local resources, and depends for its effectiveness on multi-scalar
Prof. Ahmed Z. Khan
EUF: Exploring Urban Futures
governance [Moulaert, et al. 2010].
Illustration 6.2: Dynamics of social innovation
Exploring Urban Futures in the European Cities:
A Social Cohesion based approach
Ahmed Zaib K. Mahsud, Frank Moulaert, Andreas Novy and Daniela Coimbra Swiatek
[in collaboration with Abid Mehmood, Anne Querrien, Bernard Decleve, Elie Faroult, Isabel Andre, Jan
schreurs, Jean-Loup Drubigny, Joao Ferrao, Konrad Miciukiewicz, Loris Servillo, Marco Cremaschi,
Marisol Garcia, Rob Atkinson, Serena Vicari, Stephen Graham, Eduardo de Santiago and other members
of SOCIAL POLIS and URBAN-NET]
Source: SOCIAL POLIS platform; in: CEC, [2010b], p. 22
Accessibility to social resources through SI and IAD promotes social inclusion, overcomes spatial
fragmentation, supports capabilities’ acquisition and ameliorates the urban environment towards
cohesion and sustainability. It may stir a renewed interest in social issues at all levels [local, national,
EU], and social cohesion as a worthwhile concern in itself and not only functional to economic
development. In our recommendations, the conceptual and analytical apparatus of SI and IAD [Moulaert,
72

34. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
1&2
H2020: Improving air quality and reducing carbon footprint of European cities
AIR QUALITY
CARBON F.P.
SOA 3
Climate Change
A
Assessment
M
Air Quality
Monitoring
ANALYSIS
Mo Modelling
WP-1
SMEs
WP-2
I
WP-3
WP-4
Management
Improvement
R
SOA 1
WP-10
Carbon FP
Reduction
SOA 2
Coordination
WP-5
Technical
Solutions
Governance
WP-6
Non-technical
Strategies
Integration
Building & running
INTEGRATION
SOA 5
Scenarios
Organisation
Backcasting
Interaction EU
1
Dissemination
Transport
2
Energy Production
4
Industrial Activity
5
Agriculture
6
Trans-boundary
SOA 4
WP-7
WP-8
WP-9
Governance
Heating
3
SYNTHESIS
Technical
Solutions
Non-technical
Strategies

35. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
3
Prof. Philippe Bouillard
Town planning, Mobility & Sustainable Urbanism
§
Sustainable development
- Spatial and temporal planning
• Human activities planning
• Eco-environment (a.o. urban noise)
§
§
§
PRDD
Mobility
Port-city interface

36. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
4
Multi-scale life cycle assessment of buildings
Research
project
?tle:
An
integrated
mul.-­‐scale
life
cycle
assessment
decision-­‐making
framework
for
the
built
environment
Postdoctoral
researcher:
André
Stephan
• Life
cycle
assessment
and
life
cycle
cos?ng
• Input-­‐output
analysis
• Mul?-­‐objec?ve
op?miza?on
• Integrated
decision–making
framework
for
building
designers,
planners
&
policy-­‐makers

37. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
4
Multi-scale life cycle assessment of buildings
with

38. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
4
Multi-scale life cycle assessment of buildings

39. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
5
Urban Metabolism
PhD
?tle:
Mul.-­‐scalar
analysis
of
energy
and
material
urban
flows
as
a
methodological
tool
for
policy
making
in
BCR
PhD
Candidate:
Aris?de
Athanassiadis
• Urban
metabolism
(UM,
MEFA)
and
consump?on-­‐based
approaches
(IOA).
• Urban
environmental
assessment
at
different
spa?al
scales
• Correla?on
with
local
factors
iden?fying
drivers
with
the
highest
influence
• Hybrid
framework
as
a
tool
for
coherent
policy-­‐making
in
fields
of
produc?on,
consump?on
as
well
as
the
efficiency
of
the
built
environment.

40. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
Urban Metabolism
5

41. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
Urban Metabolism
5

42. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
6
PhD
Title:
Integrated design process through triangulated analysis of Urban
form, Energy and Bioclimatism for sustainable urbanism
PhD
Candidate:
Séverine Hermand
§ Developing a context-specific and scale-sensitive Integrated Design Process (IDP) for
sustainable urbanism (SU) through triangulated analysis of urban form (including
infrastructure), bioclimatism and energy efficiency in the context of Brussels CR.
§ Within this framework, explore IDP at the level of neighbourhood as the first stage of the
research and the district and the city scales are the next two stages.
§ Focus is the design of open space structure in terms of its capacity in regulating the energy
performance in Brussels.
§ to develop an assessment framework for unfolding differentiated design, planning and policy
responses to facilitate an energy efficient and sustainable urban development in BCR.

43. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
6
Urban Form
Covering more than 8,500 ha the open spaces account for more than half of the region’s
surface area (161.38 km2).
Railway verges 3%
Green spaces linked with roads 3%
Forests 20%
Derelict land 7%
Agricultural areas 7%
Open air recreation areas 4%
Cemeteries 2%
Private large domains 10%
Private gardens 32%
Public parks and gardens 12%
Types and % of total open surface area of the
Brussels Capital Region source: IBGE-BIM
Brussels’ open spaces in black (adapted
from URBIS)

44. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
Urban Form
§ Our intention behind the choice and the
overlapping of the structural indicators
is to keep the complexity of the city’s
structure while structuring it in order to
understand the mechanisms.
§ Modelling the interaction between all
these indicators can be a way to
understand and assess the energy
performances of an urban fabric
Overlapping between spatial scales and analytical tools, S. Hermand 2013
6

45. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
7
Ecosystem Services Optimization for Sustainable design & urbanism
PhD
?tle:
Ecosystem
Services
for
the
Sustainable
Development
of
the
BCR:
towards
an
Ecological
Approach
for
Urban
Design
and
Planning
PhD
Candidate:
Philip
Stessens
To
address
the
capacity
of
ecosystem
services
(ES)
as
one
of
the
core
concepts
for
the
sustainable
development
of
the
BCR
through
developing
an
ecological
approach
for
urban
design
and
planning.
Research
Track
Research-­‐by-­‐Design
Track
Development
of
a
set
of
spa&ally
explicit
and
In
parallel,
a
research-­‐by-­‐design
stream
will
be
dynamic
indicators
for
scenarios
tes&ng
by:
maintained
through
organizing
a
series
of
workshops
with
key
stakeholders
for:
• GIS-­‐based
environmental
modeling
(to
describe
heat
flux
and
water
reten&on
• the
valida&on
of
the
analysis
and
indicators;
behavior)
and;
• co-­‐produce
further
knowledge
on
ES
and
• survey
and
proximity
analysis
(for
urban
design
interac&on;
accessibility
and
experien&al/cultural
issues);
• and
shared
scenarios
development.
Design
will
thus
be
used
as
an
integra?ve
and
interdisciplinary
component
of
the
research,
but
also
as
a
trans-­‐disciplinary
mode
of
research
involving
stakeholder
par?cipa?on
and
co-­‐produc?on.

46. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
7
Ecosystem Services optimization for Sustainable design and urbanism

47. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
7
Ecosystem Services optimization for Sustainable design and urbanism

48. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
7
Ecosystem Services optimization for Sustainable design and urbanism

49. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
8
Prof. Rajan Filomeno Coelho
Design & optimization from a sustainability perspective
Development of multicriteria computational methods for designing structures with:
– Lower mass consumption
– Higher structural safety and robustness
– Consideration of environmental impact indicators
ULB-­‐BATir
+
Nordenson
&
Associates
ULB-­‐BATir
+
Ney
&
Partners

50. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
8
Prof. Rajan Filomeno Coelho
Design & optimization from a sustainability perspective
§ Several applications of bridges, façades of buildings, etc. with industrial partners
§ Spin-off project « PRINCIPIA »: creation of a company in 2015-2016 offering services
for industries in the building sector, to help them designing optimal structures
ULB-­‐BATir
+
Ney
&
Partners
PRINCIPIA:
So;ware
as
a
Service
in
structural
design

51. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
9
Prof. Bertrand François
Shallow geothermy – LGM : Laboratory of GeoMechanics
Op.misa.on
des
sondes
géothermiques
en
système
fermé
Projet
GeoTherWal
–
Financement
Région
Wallonne
Partenaire
universitaire:
ULg
(Profs
R.
Charlier
et
F.
Nguyen)
Partenaire
industriel:
OREX,
GeoLys
Durée
du
projet:
4
ans
PhD
Candidate:
Selçuk
Erol
§ Borehole
heat
exchangers
(BHE)
at
low
enthalpy
of
100
m
to
200
m
connected
with
heat
pump
through
a
closed-­‐loop
system.
§ Op?misa?on
of
the
grou&ng
material,
the
BHE
geometry
and
the
technique
of
installa&on
(drilling,
U
pipe
installa&on,
grou&ng)
§ Study
of
the
heat
exchanges
as
a
func&on
of
the
BHE
and
the
ground
proper&es
§ Contacts
with
industrial
partners
to
be
as
close
as
possible
with
the
needs
of
industrial
market

52. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
9
Shallow geothermy
T
soil
>
T
air
Soil
=
Poten?al
heat
source
T
soil
<
T
air
Soil
=
Poten?al
heat
sink
Demand
for
hea&ng
WINTER
SUMMER
Demand
for
cooling
Preene
and
Powrie,
Geotechnique
2009

53. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
9
Shallow geothermy
Borehole
heat
exchanger
§
No
structural
role
§
Boreholes
of
10-­‐15
cm
in
diameter,
50
–
300
m
in
length
§
U
tubes
in
borehole
(closed
loop)
§
Heat
pump
:
T
from
≈15
°C
to
≈35
°C
§
Energy
balance:
geothermy
≈
70
%
electricity
for
heat
pump
≈
30
%
§
Maximal
power:
7
to
8
kW
/
probe
From
www.crege.ch

54. BATir
Sustainability Research Tracks
9
Shallow geothermy
Numerical
simula?on
of
the
heat
exhange
Experimental
characteriza?on
of
heat
exchange
between
BHE
and
ground
in
an
instrumented
sandbox

55. Service BATir
Construction, Architecture et Urbanisme
Building, Architecture and Town planning
Av. F. D. Roosevelt 50 CP 194/2 1050 Bruxelles
secretariat : tel: 02 650 27 20
fax: 02 650 27 89
e-mail: batir@batir.ulb.ac.be
Prof. Dr. ir-ar. ur. Ahmed Z. Khan:
ahmed.khan@ulb.ac.be
Chair Sustainable Architecture & Urbanism