Marseille

Jean-Christophe Daragon,
Head of Innovation and Sustainable Development at Euroméditerranée.

In five or six years’ time, we will have the climate of Cordoba in Marseille. We must anticipate the need for insulation, ventilation and cooling. Global warming also raises the question of the risk of flooding and water management. We have given a lot of thought to the issue of energy. Solar energy is too expensive in urban areas.

In our Mediterranean regions, we must think low cost easy tech, because our populations do not benefit from the financial resources of the Scandinavians. We have therefore come to the conclusion that seawater loops are the best solution for heating and cooling in a sustainable and economical way.

We must also keep in mind that we must provide communities with equipment that they will know and be able to manage. In planning our cities, we must take into account the way of life of the Mediterranean people. They spend a lot of time outdoors. They consume more lighting, more water, and produce more waste than their northern counterparts.

However, we need specific information. We will write a smart grid charter with the manufacturers. We have created the Emul approach (Euroméditerranée Metropolitan Urban Lab).

We present our studies and professionals in the sector respond with innovative solutions implemented within our scope.

We work a lot with industrialists on energy, materials, hydraulic risk management, waste… because design offices are expensive and often use solutions that exist elsewhere.

With Med’Innovant, we ask start-ups to propose innovations for the city of tomorrow. The winners receive a prize and, above all, we put them in touch with the principals.

Mediterranean planners can duplicate these solutions tested on Euroméditerranée.