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Italy, Spain, Ecobuilding
Together is better: when engaging citizens makes cities smarter
Together is better: when engaging citizens makes cities smarter
Imagine living in a building that once leaked heat in the winter and baked in the summer, now retrofitted to be a haven of comfort and efficiency.
Smart and for all: the city of the future is human and inclusive
Smart and for all: the city of the future is human and inclusive
From homeless, anonymous guy to TV star, at least for one day. Alexandre has appeared on French media , sitting on a bridge in Lyon, while inviting passers-by to give him money by scanning a QR Code with their smartphone .
Invisible is better: when sustainable solutions blend into the landscape
Invisible is better: when sustainable solutions blend into the landscape
Each year over 3.5 million tourists from all over the world visit Pompeii to admire the ruins left by the eruption of the Vesuvius that, in 79 AD, engulfed it together with the nearby city of Herculaneum.
Circular is better: recyclable buildings to save the planet
Circular is better: recyclable buildings to save the planet
Maguy Soldevila is a former art teacher. Some years ago, she quit the frenzy and the pollution of the French city of Lyon to move into a typical house of the 1960s, in the small village of Sail-sous-Couzan.
Twenty-two million smart homes in Europe: from science-fiction to reality
Twenty-two million smart homes in Europe: from science-fiction to reality
Door locks that open with fingerprints, networked security cameras, smart light bulbs, smart washing machines: technology is transforming our homes, turning the tech dreams of yesterday into the reality of today.
Home sweet (hemp) home
Home sweet (hemp) home
Building with wood, straw, and hemp. Biobased materials are seeing ever more use in the construction sector, which needs to become more sustainable as it is one of the major sources of soil, air and water pollution.
How can smart cities finance their transformation?
How can smart cities finance their transformation?
Local governments in Europe are notoriously risk averse, city council officials and industry leaders won’t hesitate to tell you.
Protecting health by improved building efficiency
Protecting health by improved building efficiency
Home sweet home. Houses are supposed to be our nest, a shelter from the world outside. But how healthy are European homes? Nowadays most of our time is spent indoors, often at home, one reason being the current shift to “desk jobs”.
Household air pollution: the forgotten hazard
Household air pollution: the forgotten hazard
As air pollution is largely considered to be an outdoor problem, people are little aware of indoor contaminants . The World Health Organisation estimated that each year 4.3 million people die of exposure to household pollutants.
Challenging energy renovation of buildings
Challenging energy renovation of buildings
Energy consumption in the construction sector is a key issue in the fight against climate change. It is often approached when planning new buildings, but there is little tendency to renovate the existing stock .
Smart buildings: energy efficiency at what price?
Smart buildings: energy efficiency at what price?
Smart buildings appear to respond to a range of energy challenges found in Europe today. Improved efficiency would help consumers reduce income spent on energy consumption, reduce greenhouse emissions and also help EU countries meet the goals of the 2030 energy strategy .
Fitting hot and cold climates into the “envelope”
Fitting hot and cold climates into the “envelope”
Buildings account for 36% of CO 2 emissions in Europe, and energy consumption in this sector has increased in recent decades.
A raincoat for our houses
A raincoat for our houses
Today, one of the new challenges for the construction industry is the use of textiles, coming from the clothing and footwear industries.
Biomass: a green source of energy?
Biomass: a green source of energy?
Bioenergy represents two-thirds of the energy produced from renewable sources in Europe, though biomass sustainability is not taken for granted.
Multifold challenges for districts level retrofitting
Multifold challenges for districts level retrofitting
The Cuarto de Marzo district of Valladolid, Spain , is an area spreading over 21,000 square metres with 166 residences. It is now the focus of a retrofitting project , called  R2CITIES , funded by the EU.
Transparency and residents’ involvement make retrofitting work
Transparency and residents’ involvement make retrofitting work
One of the  biggest challenges of retrofitting projects  is to make them attractive to residents. Now, one of them, the EU-funded project R2CITIES,  is analysing the initial first feedback received from residents  of the  Cuatro de Marzo  district.
Learning from new very low energy buildings
Learning from new very low energy buildings
To tackle climate change, new buildings are required to consume as little energy as possible . That’s because, in Europe, buildings are responsible for about 40% of our energy consumption.
Retrofitting: all stakeholders involved upfront
Retrofitting: all stakeholders involved upfront
Cuatro de Marzo is a district in the southern part of the Spanish city of Valladolid. It is a dense residential area with 190 privately-owned dwellings, developed in 1955.
Gloria Piaggio – Genoa, a Smart City
Gloria Piaggio – Genoa, a Smart City
Cities substantially contribute to European air pollution as they are the source of about 36% of the total CO 2 emissions. Modern cities therefore raise sustainability concerns.
Greening our cities
Greening our cities
Imagine a city could halve its energy consumption, costs and greenhouse gas emissions. This would get closer to levels that would ensure sustainability of resources.
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