Objectives

Goals of this research theme are:

• Analyze sociotechnical innovations for urban management of water and sanitation and/or the associated sectors,
• Assess their performance, optimize their functioning, and characterize the conditions and impacts of their potential deployment.

We favor an approach by object, which means that we will frequently use several disciplines either in parallel, or in a multidisciplinary approach.

Research issues

Mutual benefits of cross-cutting issues related to water, energy, soil, biodiversity

Perimeters of innovations

1. Improvement of existing devices, for example innovative treatments in wastewater treatment plants, "smart" management methods or breaks with regard to dominant reference systems, for example source separation approaches
2. Changing practices in water management by city stakeholders (builders, inhabitants, activists, associations ...), for example alternative techniques, rainwater harvesting, gray water reuse

Objects of study

• Characterizing the conditions for the emergence of innovations: sociotechnical approach to innovation:
  • Structuring the networks of actors related to innovations
  • Modes of acquisition and appropriation of knowledge and data by actors

• Evaluate their performance, optimize their operation
  • Technical optimization: process efficiency
  • Social appropriation: economic criteria, organization, alignment of actors

• Characterize the conditions of their eventual deployment
  • Experiments and demonstrators: from concept to diffusion via the demonstrator, with possible co-construction
  • Brakes and levers: construction of sectors, positioning of users, territorial compatibility...

Future directions and projects in preparation

Research theme moderators

• Bernard de Gouvello
• Julien Le Roux

Research programs associated to this Theme

• Phyte’Up (2019-2025)
• OCAPI
• OPUR
• Cosmet’eau (2015-2018)
• Roulépur (2015-2018)
• PICRI-2 Réinventer l’eau en ville (2013-2017)
• Smart River (2013-2015)