Meriam Bechir: From design to operation? Integrating operational considerations for energy systems into the design of urban projects

In response to negative feedback regarding the operational aspects of sustainable urban projects, urban planning practitioners are increasingly incorporating operational considerations relating to energy systems into the design process. The aim of this research is to examine the effects of this integration of operational issues on the urban design process. Through a case study, we demonstrate that the integration of operational concerns leads to changes in technical choices, energy objectives and the social organisation of the design process. We are witnessing a divergence in technical choices, following a double-loop learning process among stakeholders, where objectives must be revised during the design phase in order to move forward. Indeed, thinking in terms of operation leads to different design choices that prioritise the quality of use and the services provided.

When it comes to the organisation of the design process, the integration of operational considerations does not

It does not challenge the hierarchical and linear structure of how stakeholders organise their activities. However, it does facilitate the emergence of new stakeholders, such as operators of energy and multi-service systems. More broadly, the research shows that feedback from over fifteen years of experience in the operation of sustainable neighbourhoods contributes to an inter-professional learning process, the outcomes of which generate new technical or project benchmarks and contribute to the renewal of professional cultures. In this way, the design process is transformed. The analysis places particular emphasis on the importance of technical objects in consolidating the learning of stakeholders—objects around which lessons and feedback crystallise.

Composition of the jury

• Véronique Biau, Chief State Architect and Urban Planner, École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-La Villette (Rapporteur)
• Gilles Debizet, Senior Lecturer, Université Grenoble-Alpes (Rapporteur)
• Joëlle Forest, Senior Lecturer, National Institute of Applied Sciences, Lyon (Examiner)
• Caroline Gallez, Research Director, Gustave Eiffel University (Examiner)
• Laurent Michelin, Director of Innovation, Bouygues Immobilier (Guest speaker)
• Taoufik Souami, Professor, Université Paris-Est (Supervisor)