Thesis supervisor: Olivier Coutard
In a context where development stakeholders are attempting to organize and equip themselves collectively to respond to multiple environmental constraints (decarbonization, climate change adaptation, renaturation, compensation, etc.), developers find themselves caught between these demands and an economic model that automatically encourages them to increasingly artificialize and build in order to finance their operations. They report difficulties, primarily economic but also in terms of tools and skills, in addressing these issues and respecting planetary boundaries in their operations. This doctoral project, at the crossroads of operational and academic questions, aims to document and examine the greening of developers' practices, i.e., how they attempt to integrate issues relating to living organisms, materials, and energy into their operations. In particular, this project will study the subject of ecological metrics: beyond indicators and benchmarks, what approaches would enable developers to question their development choices and steer decisions towards more ecological solutions? This project is part of the ECOMODAM (Ecologisation of the economic model of developers) research program, funded by the ANR. It will combine the study of existing ecological accounting systems and the consideration of planetary boundaries within an operational scope (territorial ecology, urban metabolism, etc.) in a strong sustainability analytical framework. At the same time, partnership work and immersion with volunteer developers will make it possible to question the role of ecological metrics in operational decision-making processes and the evolution of their professional practices.
Year of enrollment: 2024
Doctoral school: City, Transportation, and Territories – VTT