On 22nd and 23rd October 2024, the fifteenth edition of the EESAP International Conference on Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism took place at the auditorium of the Higher Technical School of Architecture of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). This conference has established itself as a key space for the exchange of ideas and practices in the fields of sustainability and energy efficiency in architecture and urbanism. This years theme was “Co-creation for a better habitat”.
To begin with, in the first day of the EESAP conference, the opportunities and challenges posed by building scale for the future of architecture and sustainability were explored. Guest speaker María del Carmen García Peña shared her vision on the crucial role of citizen participation in creating more sustainable cities in her paper titled “Estrategias urbanas: del plan al proyecto gracias a la implicación ciudadana”. This first day included very interesting presentations that led to a roundtable discussion at the end of the session, where speakers shared their valuable perspectives on building scale and habitat co-creation.
After a coffee break and lunch, Francisco Javier Neila González commenced the afternoon session with his presentation titled “The Lost Energy, The Colour of Energy”. He explored new perspectives on energy in architecture, challenging our understanding and use of this vital resource. The afternoon featured rewarding presentations that culminated in a roundtable discussion at the end of the day.
The second day focused on the opportunities and challenges presented by urban scale in relation to current and future themes of habitat co-creation. Guest speaker Noemí Julián Villar shared her insights on the importance of inclusion and gender in participatory and deliberative processes through her paper titled “Inclusion and Gender in Participatory and Deliberative Processes in Bologna”.
Throughout the day, many engaging presentations took place, concluding the morning session with a talk by Ellen Van Bueren. In her presentation, “The Role of Living Labs in the Energy Transition”, she discussed the relevance of Living Labs as key tools to drive the energy transition and promote innovation in sustainability. The session concluded with a roundtable where attendees could exchange ideas about urban scale.
The day ended with a workshop on urban regeneration. It was held in conjunction with the IV International Seminar CI+IRU, which took place simultaneously. Attendees from both events conducted a diagnosis on a local case study in the Basque Autonomous Community (CAPV) for an urban regeneration project.
The IV International Seminar CI+IRU, which took place from 23rd to 24th October, provided participants with the opportunity to attend a welcome dinner in Donostia-San Sebastián, facilitating networking among researchers, educators, and professionals in the field.
On Thursday 24th October, participants visited Txarama. Therefore, they had the chance to observe the conditions in the area and discuss possible strategies for improvement. In the afternoon, a plenary session was held at the Higher Technical School of Architecture of the UPV/EHU, where participants were able to present their results and conclusions.
PHOTOS OF THE FIFTEENTH EDITION OF THE EESAP INTERNACIONAL CONFERENCE
PHOTOS OF THE IV INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR CI+IRU
