THE MED ECO-QUARTIERS PROJECT
PART OF INTERREG III B - WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN
The Med Eco-quartiers (sustainable development) project (June 2006 – May 2008) brings together the towns of Pézenas (lead town, France, eco-district Saint-Christol, 29 ha for 1,700 inhabitants), Dos Hermanas (Spain, eco-district Montequinto for 12.000 inhabitants), Faenza (Italy, eco-district San Rocco for 1.000 inhabitants), Cosenza (Italy, urban regeneration), Elefsis (Greece, eco-district, 3 ha for 88 homes) as well as the Greek Worker’s Housing Organisation (OEK, project manager for the Elefsis scheme) and some technical partners : AFNOR (France, standards organisation), Néopolis (France, organisation specialising in sustainable development training), the University of Genoa (Italy, Laboratory of Architecture), the Labour Foundation of the Construction Sector in Andalucía (Spain, professional body), MedSOS (Greece, environmental protection organisation).
Based on the exchange of experience, the aim of the project is to take a sustainable development approach to the urbanisation of our district while respecting their Mediterranean identity.
We want to create sustainable districts that respect the environment, are accessible to all and are pleasant places to live.
Working together, we have been able to create four working tools to help draw up sustainable district projects in a global and collaborative manner, from conception to practical implementation.
Tool : Med Eco-urban planning
A supportgrid to help make decisions and steer the porject. The global and collaborative approach of the various sustainable urban planning themes allows the main goals Eco-urban planning tool’s evaluation of the “recommanded” or “essential” suggestions helps specify the future district’s characteristics.
For example, in order to meet the objective of implementing a governance and steering system, it is necessary, among other things, to determine (suggestions) the methods of consultation with the various parties involved. Another example: in order to limit urban sprawl, it is necessary to put forward a varied hosing proposal tailored to needs. The Med Eco-urban planning tool provides a framework for reflection and action in public planning policy.
Tool : Med Eco-constructability
This tool helps determine precisely the criteria for the environmental, economic and societal performance of the future development and to access the contribution of each of these criteria to the viability of the construction.
The tool provides a technical approach to development by integrating the elements that make up the development location (natural resources, interdependencies, impacts, etc.) and allows a contribution to be made to the success of the future district.
Tool : Med Eco-governance
This tool guides the town in the development of a joint project with the parties involved, notably the local population. Key elements to put in place at the outset of the project are a system of governance, a steering framework involving citizens or a programme of meetings to exchange ideas, debate and shape the future district. The Med Eco-governance tool helps the towns implement these elements and adapt them to the context of the project.
Tool: Med Eco-consciousness
This tool aims to raise consciousness and provide information to elected representatives, public authority staff and private partners about sustainable town planning and eco-related constructability issues.
In order to sustain the collaboration on the Med Eco-quartiers project, the public and private entities that intend to contribute to the sustainable development of the Mediterranean towns will be able to join forces in a network (2008).