COMPETITIVE PROJECT 2016-2020

BIA2016-77675-R

This project aims to advance the energy efficiency of Mediterranean cities, identifying the parameters of edificatory morphology that allow characterizing the irregularities and exceptions of different urban plots and their influence against energy demand. The objective is to provide knowledge and tools for decision-making in the planning and management of consolidated Mediterranean cities.

MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND COMPETITIVENESS. State Program of Research, Development and Innovation Oriented to the Challenges of Society.
UNESCO Classification:
3305 – CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
6201 – ARCHITECTURE
Project type: Type B
Duration (in years): 4
Principal investigator: Helena Coch Roura
Principal Investigator 2: Antonio Isalgué Buxeda

Coch, H.; Isalgue, A.; Crespo, I.; Roset, J.; Pardal, C.

The growing displacement of the world population towards urban areas proposes alternatives that contemplate the consolidated city itself as a place of action to solve the accommodation of this population instead of continuing to occupy the surrounding territory with more building and invading the fertile land close to the original settlements.

To optimise existing urban planning, it will be essential to have a body of doctrine on environmental and social issues that takes into account aspects of energy consumption and resources, as well as those of comfort and personal well-being.

Previously, the incidence of urban morphology was studied as a modifier factor of local climatic conditions to evaluate the characteristics attributable to Mediterranean cities, as a compact city model (BIA2013-45597-R). The results showed new elements that opened the field of work in the following terms: On the one hand, the importance of the irregularities and exceptions of urban plots to improve the energy response according to irregularities at the scale of building, neighborhood or urban fabric.

On the other hand, the need to analyze the incidence of the various physical parameters that affect energy flows (thermal, light and acoustic) once the different residential typologies have been characterized. And finally, the focus on urban-scale rehabilitation as a system for filling existing cities in contrast to territorial expansion.

Consequently, having obtained systematic characterization parameters of the compact Mediterranean city, it is intended to deepen the irregularity of building and plots. Once the aspects of this city model in terms of its environmental behaviour have been analyzed, the constructive and energy parameters that affect the living conditions of its inhabitants must be defined with the aim of laying the foundations for establishing appropriate intervention criteria.

New publication on the Open Access Energies journal!! This article focuses on the cases when shortage is not the issue in daylight management, such as in Mediterranean cities. The aim of the study is to analyze the light contrast between transition entrance areas and the urban outside in sunny conditions, when the visual system does not have enough time to adapt. To attain this objective, light data from five entrance spaces and their contiguous streets are analyzed and measured to conclude that interventions applied to urban areas and building pavements can improve visual adaptation in the transition zone.
Based on the research carried on by Judit Lopez-Besora during her PhD.
Part of the Project MUM – Mediterranean Urban Morphology characterization.
Authors: Judit Lopez-Besora, Glòria Serra-Coch, Helena Coch Roura and Antonio Isalgue